


Faded Memories

by Monopsys



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: A real one, A semi au, Clans, Dollars (Durarara!!), Enemies to Friends, Friends to Enemies, It is a long plot, It is shizaya, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mystery, Photos, Yellow Scarves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2018-11-18 15:10:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 43,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11293218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monopsys/pseuds/Monopsys
Summary: It was normal for Ikebukuro to see a man, who could lift a vending machine, chasing a man with a challenging smirk. It was the normal fight between Izaya Orihara and Shizuo Heiwajima.But when something appears from the dark, the city freaks out and start questioning the relationship between those two.It was just a misunderstanding......or wasn't it?





	1. Is This Reality?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello guys and welcome to "Faded Memories". The fic was made by an idea I had when I finished the third season.  
> The idea was basically what if Izaya and Shizuo did become friends (not when Sinra introduce them to each other but later on) but there was something that sparked their real hate for each other.  
> After Izaya and Shizuo met everything is as it is in the anime. But in the second year, Kadota and Shinra go to a different school and everything from then changes.  
> It a semi au so not everything follows the flow of the anime or manga. It is changed at some points so it fits with my story.  
> In every chapter, i will explain what is different. So until then, let's start, shall we?

__

**_Is This Reality?_ **

**_Is this true? This is really happening...right?_ **

**_Is this reality?_ ** Celty thought as she looked at the scene in front of her but not believing it.

The day had started normally. She woke up, helped Shinra with some patients (because today was her free day), hit him (normal), Shinra cried, asked for forgiveness and she gave it to him (after all she loved him).

But when someone burst into her house, everything went downhill from there. He had come in and asked to talk to Shinra. Shinra welcomed him to the living room and asked Celty to bring some tea (probably for him) and Celty even though she felt something was really odd, she went into the kitchen and made some while trying to listen to what they were talking about. They were speaking so low that eventually she gave up and finished the tea.

When she finally got to the living room, she stopped in her tracks and let the tea hit the ground. That person was aiming a gun towards Shinra and before she could use her shadows, Shinra looked at her and smiled. It wasn't a 'Shinra' smile but a serious smile. A warning. She stopped.   
Shinra smiled again at her but with his usual smile and turned to that person. He talked to Shinra but she couldn’t hear them at all. She was worried. She... She was afraid. Why didn't Shinra do anything? Did something happen while she was making tea? She tried to return her thoughts to reality but before she could focus, that guy turned and walked towards the corridor that led to the front door.

She walked…no...ran towards Shinra and held him. Shinra smiled at her and told her that he was fine, but he would be in heaven if she was his wife. Celty smiled (or at least she thought) and hit him. But before she typed a reply into her PDA something brought her focus back to the present.

__ _     A sound. _

**_A gun shot._ **

She jumped from the sound but stood in her position.

Celty leapt in front of Shinra protectively.   
Shinra was _ hugging _  her.

She hoped, prayed...she’d give anything in the world for him not to be shot. Anything in the world.

She looked at him.

No blood. No scratch. Nothing. Only his idiotic smile. He was fine.

But then what had happened?

Shinra gasped, not from pain but in surprise. She looked up and saw him looking towards the corridor. She turned and her shadows escaped from her helmet in her shock throwing it away.

**** **_Is this true? Is this really happening?_ **

__ **_Is this reality?_ **

She asked herself thousands of times but she didn't get any answers.

In front of her...no, in the corridor, was Shizuo leaning against the wall and in front of him was Izaya.

She would have been surprised to see them together (and not fighting), if she wasn't so distracted by the scene in front of her.

Izaya looked serious. Not a  _ smirk _  nor his usual  smile  was on his face, nothing but a  _ straight line _ . He was stern, probably angry from the way he  _ clenched _  his teeth.

              He  _ was _ **mad** .

But it wasn't his face that made her freeze. It was Izaya’s position. He had probably used a technique, a kickboxing move because his hands were on his chest and...

The heel of his shoe had impacted the back of the man's head... His face was pinned  **_INSIDE_ **  the wall, breaking it...

He wasn't even  _ flinching _ ... he was still showing his teeth and his foot stayed planted on the man's head.

But it was  _ Shizuo _   who had made her shadows explode.

He was leaning on the wall, his arms crossed against his chest as he watched the scene in front of him.

But...it was his expression that made her freeze.

He was smiling...no... he was **_smirking_ ** . It wasn't his usual smirk but a darker one. It was like Izaya's.

A chill ran down her spine. It was like their roles had reversed. It was so creepy, so unreal.

**** **_Is this real?_ **

**_Are those Izaya and Shizuo?_ **

So it was true.

Something  _ had _ happened between those two.

__


	2. The Feeling Of Wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys!  
> Sorry for the long wait!  
> I am not a native speaker and i had to correct some mistakes this fic had. And i know it still has. So, does anyone want to be my beta-reader? I would really appreciate it and the readers of this fic, too.  
> So if anyone wants to, contact send me a message here or my tumblr!  
> But let's begin!

**Three months ago**

Ikebukuro. One of the best cities in the world, or it was for Mikado. It was nice, friendly and full of things to do. New friends, new opportunities and also new surprises. He liked it. Maybe because it was one of the two cities he had ever visited in his short life. But he knew that even if he went to the farthest city, Ikebukuro would have left its stigma in him.

It was Saturday. One of the busiest days in his opinion. Or was it by the way he was squeezed while walking. He sighed. Anri smiled and Kida hit him in the back.

"Come on, you idiot! If you walk like that, you'll be swallowed up by the crowd and become part of the ground under their feet. Stop thinking and walk. I want to leave this road, too. There’s too many people, too much traffic." He said, laughing while watching the traffic.

Anri nodded and looked around. She tightened her grib on her bag and said,"Kida-kun is right. There are more people today. And I don't know anyone or have seen any of them before."

"Of course we haven't, Sonohara-san. This road is new to me, too. I didn't know it existed! Masaomi brought us here." Mikado sighed in annoyance.

But Anri wasn't wrong. He hadn't seen anyone before either. Maybe this road was one of the busiest roads in the city. Either way, he was starting to get frustrated. All these nods, hits and pushes drove him mad.

"Ohhh...shhhh. You’re like a married couple taunting their child!" He shouted proud while bringing his arms behind his head.

He heard gasps and saw both of his friends become red. There was some nervous rambling, maybe Mikado saying that that was ridiculous, Anri gasping and Mikado apologizing to her. He snorted and let them talk while he was looking around.

Anri-chan was right. He didn't know anyone and usually, he knew or recognized the faces here. Many of the yellow scarves were from this place. But today there wasn't any of them here. Well, he didn't care.

The Yellow scarves were semi-active. Only when he wanted something did he bring them back. He closed his eyes and thought of what had happened these two years.

The Saika accident, the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars.

He was glad that everything had stopped and even gladder that he was back in his town. He was also relieved that his friends had stayed together and that he was now back with them.

He breathed a sigh of content. Kida was lucky enough to come back at the right time, before Mikado got into even more trouble. He stopped Mikado before he became the leader of the Blue Squares and convinced him to rethink it.

Luckily Mikado listened to him and stopped. He wished that he would have listened to himself, too. That fucking bastard Izaya had become his boss.

He smiled. Well, better an information finder than a gang leader. No more trouble or kidnappings. Only that idiotic face and that fucking smirk. But what he could do? He was paid from this job, after all. He needed the money. He and Saki were living together so...

 **Saki!** Fuck, he looked at his watch. Kida started running.

"Kida-kun!"

"Kida" His friends shouted after him.

But then they understood. They had set up to meet with Saki. They started running, too, forgetting their conversation and following Kida.

Kida maneuvered around some people, hitting some but finally reaching his destination. He turned right and there she was, sitting on a bench under a tree and tapping on her phone. Saki smiled or laughed (he didn't know which exactly) and closed her phone.

"Saki!" Kida declared and approached her. "I am so sorry. We were stuck in traffic."

Saki smiled and hit him lightly on the arm.

"Oh really~ Then where is your vehicle? Give me a ride and I will forgive you~" She sang while making a full circle around him.

"Oh, I will give you a ride and you know what I mean!" He chimed and got hit again this time from behind.

"Kida, are you crazy? You are in public!" Mikado panted and smiled at Saki. "Sorry for keeping you waiting. Someone lost his way."

"I didn't lose my way, Mikado." Kida turned and glared at him while Anri said hello to Saki. "We just GOT late. There are so many people here!"

"Kida-kun is right." Anri started but was stopped by Saki.

"Oh, there is a celebration coming. Maybe that's why? But still, I don't recognize anyone. Maybe they are new~ Well, I don't care. Let's go!" Saki laughed, she caught Kida's arm and started walking.

Kida smiled and hugged Saki while his friends followed.

"To the same place? In the cafe?" Mikado asked

"Oh yeah! I wouldn’t change it for the world. Either way, you like it there don't you, Mikado-kun? There are many beautiful and cute waitresses in there~ Some even want to date you!" Saki joked but as always Mikado took it seriously.

"Ahh, no. I won’t date anyone!.. I have other things on my mind...like reading and...school? Yeah, school! Not dating."

"Ah really? Not even Anri-san?"

Mikado went red and looked at Anri. Anri looked away and then he became redder.

"Of course...yeah...no...wait...no, not now! I have school. I can't date anyone now. But I wouldn't mind...wait!"

Kida pinched Saki. "Leave them alone!" He murmured.

Saki pinched him back.

"Ow, hey!"

"Oh, why do you want me to stop? Look at him! It is so obvious that he wants to date her but NO he doesn't. A little help wouldn't be a problem. Also, it is so funny watching him lose it~"

Kida grimaced but didn't say anything. This type of behaviour always made him question his relationship with his girlfriend. He loved her but...her attitude sometimes reminded him Izaya. She acted so much like him that it made him sick. He hoped (and prayed) that after a few years she wouldn't act like that anymore. Not too much, at least.

That fucking bastard. Everywhere he went, he fucking found him. Even his thoughts weren't safe from this asshole. Why? Just why?

He cleared his thoughts. Not now. Today he would go out and have fun with his friends.

Fuck him. Yeah, fuck him. He breathed deeply until  he was relaxed, then he started laughing. It was just him and his friends. No one else. Especially not that bastard.

He half-ran, half-walked until suddenly the ground shook. He looked around.  Mikado and Anri looked at him and by their eyes, he understood that they felt it, too. Everyone felt it.

"An earthquake..?" Anri asked and Mikado quietly said "Maybe...?"

But he didn't believe himself either. Kida shook his head.

No.

The ground shook again, twice this time.

Not now.

The ground started moving rapidily and shook at random intervals, making loud noises.

**Why? Fucking why?**

Saki started laughing and jumping around.

"It's here! It's coming!"

That fucking bastard!

The sound came closer and closer. People started moving to the side.

**He will kill him!**

"IZAYYYYYAAAAAAAAA!"

**-xxx-**

"And that's why I think that the new series is not good as the previous one! It has more characters and no deep background for them!"

"Oh, please! There is always a deep background! You just don't see it!"

"Oh, really! Then where **is** IT?"

Walker took out his mangas and after scrolling through them, he stopped at one and screamed.

"There, Erika! You see that sentence! So much passion and understanding! So many things shown from it"

Erika hit Walker and screamed. "It is a sentence, not a chapter, you baka! I mean...oh wait! Do you mean the feelings of the characters?"

Walker looked at her. "...Yeah! What did you mean?"

Erika slapped herself. "Their history! Their historical background! You know! Their time in high school, what did they do in their younger years...their connection with their families and their first love. Stuff like that!"

Walker laughed and after a while so did Erika.

"You are truly idiots. Both of you!" Togusa said and looked at the road again.

"Oh, please! You would not understand Togusa-san..."

"I never understand!"

"Oi...stop fighting!" Kadota said with a clear voice and all of them stopped.

Erika and Walker continued talking about their new manga and Togusa murmured, "I truly don’t understand." Kadota sighed and looked out the window. It was a nice morning. No gangs had appeared and there was no fighting. A really nice morning. He looked at his watch. It was noon. They had decided to go and eat at Russian Sushi a few hours ago and now here they were. In the famous roads of Ikebukuro.

And it was full of people... Kadota looked closely at them and frowned.

"Togusa, please park there." He asked, still staring at the people.

Togusa glanced at him curiously but obeyed and parked.

"Ne~ Did Dotachin see something?" Erika asked and bounced to the window.

"Yeah, I don't see anything. Only people walking." Walker added.

"No, they are running." Kadota said and waited.

"IZAYAAAAAAAAAA"

"Yes...they are here, where is my camera? I need proof! I need yaoi proof!" Erika giggled and moved around.

"Stop with that! They are not together! They are fighting each other!"

"No, Walker! They are not fighting! They are expressing their lov..." Walker held her down before she broke anything while she continued to talk.

Kadota watched and waited for the famous duo to come, while Togusa told Walker that Erika was back in her mode. Walker acknowledged that and tried to stop her.

"How many times do I need to tell you not to come back **TO IKEBUKURO**?!" Shizuo yelled at Izaya while throwing a sign at him.

Izaya dodged it and held his knife at his side while zig-zagging the tetris the monster threw at him.

"As many needed for Shizu-chan to understand that I will not leave! Shizu-chan doesn't own Ikebukuro...or is that  just what monsters do? Own stuff? I thought that they only destroy what they have~" Izaya laughed and threw a knife at the nearest pole Shizuo went for.

Shizuo caught the pole with his head and headbutted it at him. "You fucking flea... You believe that you own things, too?"

"I do actually! It is called property! Protozoans, like you, don't have any." He sang and jumped before the pole hit his leg. He hopped on it and launched off it while throwing another knife at Shizuo.

" **FLEA** ~ Both of us know you don't have any property. You own what your last "home" had to offer!" Shizuo caught the knife and smashed it before throwing the pieces back at Izaya.

"Oh, please! They are called 'playthings'! You play and have fun!" Izaya told him and just moved to the side avoiding the remains of his old knife.

"Your fun is sick!" He screamed and walked towards Izaya.

"And you know why, don't you, eh, Shizu-chan?" Izaya said calmy and Shizuo stopped in his tracks.

Shizuo stared at him and Izaya did the same. Kadota watched from afar...with an open mouth. Shizuo had stopped some meters away from Izaya and just... stayed there. Both of them did. Not even breaking eye contact.

Somewhere in the background, Erika had stopped her rambling and watched dumbfounded too. He didn't need to see Walker and Togusa to sense their surprise, too.

Izaya continued smirking and Shizuo still bared his teeth, but they didn't make any moves towards each other

People watched the famous duo and awaited their reactions. But none came. Before anyone could come back to reality, something crunched and something else slashed the air and both of them moved at once. Izaya in the front and Shizuo from behind.

After a while, Kadota understood what had just happened. Izaya had thrown a knife at Shizuo, while the other had grabbed a sign from his side.

What was that? Kadota held his chin and thought over Izaya's words. And then he thought about what Erika had said.

**_You know their background._ **

**_Did something happen in the past?_ ** He thought again. He and Shinra had left Raijin Academy in their second year. Shinra because he was accepted to a better one and him because he had taken a transcript to another high school. Maybe something had happened that year or the following. He shook his head and  mentally noted to ask Shinra later.

Everyone had returned to their normal lives and so did the van gang. But they all knew that the scene had sparked everyone's interest and would stay in their minds for the rest of the day.

Kadota knew and didn't deny it because truly...he was curious. The way the famous duo stood and just...looked at each other was unreal. Everything had been the same but they both looked different somehow.

And Kadota knew why.

Their eyes were different.

**-xxx-**

The birds were singing peacefully and the inhabitants of Ikebukuro admired them before returning to their work. Cats ran around, dogs chased them and the birds continued singing.

One cat ran towards a tree and climbed it. The birds on it noticed and flew away from its claws. They flew in a flock but something came in their way and destroyed it. A body.

A flying body.

It impacted the ground and after rolling some meters away from the impact, it stopped. Two forms that were leaning on a nearby pole, came towards the slumped figure and examined it. The first kicked it lightly with his foot and looked at the second who had crouched.

"Is he ok?" The first asked, full of worry.

The second moved her head. "Negative. He hit his hand...and head. A slight concussion and probably needs medical help." The second said. She stood up and looked at the building in front of her.

The first repeated the action. "Wow. That’s  the tenth guy Shizuo has hit today. He must be really mad."

The second turned and looked at the body. "Tanaka-senpai. Provide help?"

Tom smiled and said, "Yes, Vorona...call the ambulance. It is the least we can do. Either way, we took our money back from him."

Vorona nodded and moved the body to the pole while taking out her phone.

 **Since when did Vorona help people? Especially these kinds** , Tom asked himself and, without getting an answer, went to the building. Maybe she felt that the guy needed some help unlike the others Shizuo had punched today.

In other words, he didn't deserve the punch.

Tom sighed. After taking their money Vorona and he had gotten out peacefully. But Shizuo had stayed behind looking at that person. Tom scratched his head. Now that he thought about it, Shizuo was paying extra attention to this one. He usually just smoked his cigarette letting him and their client talk or usually he had punched them before he got to work.

When they had entered this client's house, Shizuo as usual looked around and murmured things that he liked or hated about the house. But after they found their client and started talking, Shizuo not only paid attention but also sat quietly behind him. Not even a growl or a word. He watched every move of their client and let his cigarette burn without smoking it.

But when Shizuo had asked to stay with that person, Tom was confused. Did he know that person? Did he want something?

After searching the apartment and not finding Shizuo, only the wall that the man had gone out from, Tom went out and searched for him. He turned to the right this time and thankfully he found him.

Angry. Furious.

Shizuo was pacing up and down murmuring things under his breathe and sometimes stood still for some seconds. He then punched the nearest object(a sign) and smashed it. When it fell down he picked it and proceeded to smash it again, in two.

"Shizuo-senpai is extremely emotional today." Tom jumped and saw Vorona at his side. How did he not notice her?

"The feeling of anger. Possible... and rage. But his actions lead me to another emotion. Irritation."

**"Irritation?"**

"Affirmative. He is smashing the sign without putting his anger into words. Rage is usually paired with the use of our voices and by hitting things. Anger is what Shizuo-senpai usually feels but at this moment this is not anger. It is irritation. He has picked his target and is using only his hands to stop that feeling." Vorona said while tilting her head. Shizuo was still smashing the sign in tiny pieces.

"Oh, yeah. He isn't growling or yelling."

"Affirmative. No words are expressed or the sounds of breaking stuff. He is probably thinking about something that causes this emotion."

Shizuo had stopped breaking the sign and got out his pack of cigarettes and...threw it away? Ok, that's enough!

"Shizuo!" Tom yelled and Shizuo jumped but turned towards the source of the sound.

"Oh, Tom-senpai." He looked down. "I am sorry, I didn't hear you coming." He said in a voice full of anger and kicked the remains of the sign.

"Shizuo...are you ok?...you looked..."

"Angry, pissed off, full of rage? No...yes. I am kinda irritated." Shizuo said. He turned around and looked up.

Irritated? Well. "Did..." No, that's a bad idea. **I will piss off Shizuo even more** , Tom thought. But unfortunately Shizuo understood the unspoken question.

"Oh, yes. That fucking guy. I don't know where he went. Probably straight to the hospital with that punch."

Yeah, he is, Tom thought.

"But what could I have done? That asshole and his questions.. 'Shizuo Heiwajima, right? Blond, huh? This is why you can only punch people or, in particular, have this job. Do you know about blo..." Shizuo continued mumbling and getting slightly angrier.

Tom watched him. Even though he had heard at least the first few questions of that man, he felt like that wasn't what he had asked. That client was one of the smartest people he knew. He wouldn't ask something like that, right?

But seeing Shizuo babbling so fast and angrily, proved his theory wrong.

Still, Shizuo had paid attention to their conversation this time. He scratched his head. Maybe, Shizuo really did know that person. And maybe he said something to Shizuo that angered him even more that usual. Or perhaps something more personal?...

Tom sighed and adjusted his glasses. Shizuo had stopped pacing but continued talking, probably to himself. 'That idiot', 'ahh, and the one with the strange cut...', '...he fucking deserved it...' proved that indeed Shizuo was talking to himself.

"He has changed emotion. Anger." Vorona stated while watching Shizuo's fists. "I feel something is missing. Did he show up with this emotion today?"

"No, he was ok in the morning. He had punched only one of the three people we visited. Later...i think after noon, he started..." Tom stopped.

Of course. **Orihara.** He had found Orihara and had chased him as normal. When he had returned, he was uncharacteristically...quiet. Something had happened between them this time. But unfortunately, he didn't know what. Tom mentally cursed himself. He usually followed Shizuo when he found (or smelled) Izaya and stopped when he saw that the fight had started between them. From then, he relaxed at his position and waited for Shizuo to return. But today, he yelled at Shizuo not to be late and let him leave alone.

He slapped himself. And today something had finally happened, something really serious he deduced from the way Shizuo had returned. After that Shizuo just punched all his clients.

Orihara had made, once again, Shizuo furious.

"Oh, understood." Vorona replied and approached Shizuo who had lifted his fists from his hips.

Wait...what? No, what are you doing Vorona? He asked himself and then...

Oh, no. Even though Vorona knew the history between Izaya and Shizuo, but he knew that her curiosity to ask questions would win the battle.

But before he could stop her, Vorona had already opened her mouth.

"Shizuo-senpai, is Orihara the reason for your behavior?" Vorona asked with a clear voice and he knew that Shizuo had heard her clearly.

Tom closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable outburst. But...nothing happened.

He opened his eyes and saw Shizuo looking at Vorona...calmly? **What the fuck?**

Shizuo unclenched his fists and sighed. He looked up and watched the sky. After some time, which Tom thought was an eternity, Shizuo said,

"No...no,I don't think, so, Vorona. Not this time at least." He breathed and looked around.

"Are you ok?" Tom asked after some time in which he stood dumbfounded and watched Shizuo.

**_Is this real? When did Shizuo stop getting angry whenever Orihara's name was announced?_ **

**_Yeah! Definitely, something happened!_ **

"Yeah...it’s just... I feel like something is going to happen. I can sense it!" Shizuo explained and moved his head up. "I can even smell it. Something is going to happen and I don't know what and that puts me on **edge**!" He shouted and continued sniffing the air.

Vorona titled her head and tried the same technique.

Tom watched them and sighed. Well, that explained Shizuo's behavior but the Orihara part made him wonder. He lifted his arm and saw his clock. Shit.

They had spent too much time here. He needed to visit five more clients today. But how could he make his team relax?

Tom smiled.

"Hey, how about we go and eat some cake?" He asked while waiting for their usual answers (that he at least hoped he would get).

Shizuo stopped and Tom immediately felt the atmosphere lightening up.

"Yeah, I would like some." Shizuo said while Vorona answered. "Affirmative. I desire cake."

Tom laughed. "Then, let's go!" He ordered and his team began walking. Some cake wouldn't be a problem. He could be late by a couple of minutes.

But what Shizuo said truly worried Tom.

**_Shizuo's gut was always right._ **

**-xxx-**

Today's shocking news regards the massive amount of bookings of Tokyo hotels recently. A surprisingly huge number were from that man...

_Click._

Tomorrow's weather will be sunny. There is a high chance of rain which will be centred in...

_Click._

**_Tap, Tap, Tap._ **

In today's news, we have some troubling information from one of the jails in Ikebukuro. Yesterday there was an incident where a prisoner escaped through a tunnel under his bed. Also, the prisoners list below will be released to the world today. Yuko Uchiha, Yui Saito,...

_Click._

**_Bang._ **

"If you don't turn that off or fucking decide where you are gonna see the news, I will take your girlfriend and fucking rip her head from her body!" Namie yelled towards the sofa where Kida and Saki sat and 'watched' TV.

Well, there was nothing on it for the time being so Kida had done a quick zapping through it. He didn't know why that had angered the assistant.

"Wow, Namie-san. Chill. I didn't know that you could still perform surgery after that episode you had." He answered with a smirk and watched the assistant get even angrier and threw an envelope at him.

His envelope. The information that the fucking bastard wanted from him today. Fortunately, he managed to grasp it before it spilled its content onto the floor.

"Careful, we don't need any accidents here, do we? Or else, your paycheck would be reduced if those went missing, right?" He smiled again and Namie, after watching Kida with her chilly stare, returned to her work.

Fortunately, the battle between Shizuo and Izaya had been quick and his friends and him had managed to hang out. He thanked any god that had helped him have this day like he wanted it to be. Well, of course, excluding the trip to Izaya's place the day had been perfect.

He glared at Namie. She was really pissed today. Maybe something had happened before they came. Did that bastard do or say anything to her? Namie's desk was now facing the back of the sofa. Maybe she had moved it away from Izaya because she wanted some privacy? Or she watched things that she didn't want Orihara to see. Yeah, maybe the second one.

She was watching Seiji, he was sure of that. He smiled or rather smirked at his thought. Wait? Smirked? When did he start smirking?...

That bastard! He shouldn't stay around him for too long. He was becoming like him. He shook his head and turned off the TV. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t heard anything from Izaya today. That's weird. He usually talked and talked about everything that came to his mind. Or laughed manically at something.

But today he was really quiet. Kida glanced down at his girlfriend and caught Saki already looking up at him. After a while, she smiled and nodded. So, she was thinking the same thing. He turned his head and saw Namie watching him too.

Then all of them turned to stare at Izaya. Izaya was sitting on his chair and facing the window. He was holding a phone and from the colors it was emitting Kida knew that it was the Dollars website.

Izaya was probably trying to find his latest victim. **That bastard** , Kida thought and continued watching Izaya’s movements.

Izaya continued scrolling down his phone, reading and repeating the same action. But then Izaya did something that surprised him. He got out of the Dollars website and closed his phone.

No, wait...he shut it down and threw it at his desk?

Kida opened his mouth and just stared at Izaya for a long period of time. Since when did Izaya shut his phone down? He must be dreaming. Kida shook his head and looked once again at Izaya. He continued to face the window and his phone was still on the desk. Well, Kida knew that Izaya had 10 phones, each one for a different use but he would have never thought or dreamed that he would close one. He looked at Izaya's PC and fortunately it was open.

Wow, for  a second he thought that Izaya was really sick but with the PC open he scratched that idea out. Wait! It was open and Izaya wasn't looking at it? Was he sick? Was he ok? It was so unlike him. And that fucking quiet drove his mind crazy.

He tried to speak but...what would he say? Hey, are you sick...did something hit your head so hard that you changed personalities... is this a prank?

A loud bang brought him out of his thoughts and he followed the source of the sound. Namie had gone over to stand in front of Izaya's desk. When she had stood up was a mystery to Kida. The loud bang was probably the papers that she’d  finished and had thrown with extra force on the desk. Namie took the phone, touching it to prove her suspicions, Kida thought. It was indeed shut down.

" **What the hell?** Did you just shut down your phone? Do you have secret admirers that you’re trying to avoid? Only then have I ever seen you close it and let it vibrate, but you’ve never shut it down completely. Did someone finally  get on your nerves? Oh please, I want to know who that person must be." Namie shouted, probably because she was also irritated by Izaya's behavior.

"Oh, woman~ The only person who irritates me is you when your paycheck is lower than usual~" Izaya smirked (probably) and Namie sighed while hitting her nails on the desk.

"Why do you think that’s funny? You pay well, I must say. So even if you lower it I will still get by just fine."

"Oh yes! But someone special will not get the present you trying to get him, I am right?"

Namie growled. "You asshole! Leave Seiji alone!" She yelled and walked to her desk.

Izaya laughed and turned around. That bastard! He had on his usual smirk and continued laughing at Namie's misery. He watched  her in amusement but when she turned to stare coldly at him, Izaya went back to his PC.

But before Kida could control himself, he asked:

"But still, why did you close it?" Kida  cursed himself inwardly. He meant that to be an inside thought, not spoken aloud.

Izaya watched Kida for a while before he sighed and turned to his PC. He started typing again. Kida stared at him and then turned his head towards the blank TV screen. Izaya wouldn't answer his question, he knew that. Still, his curiosity ate at him.

While Kida was internally slapping himself for turning to an OFF TV as an answer, he heard a loud tapping sound. Maybe, it was Namie. But didn't Namie  have nails? The taps should have been more sharp and annoying. Also, he remembered that Namie wasn't working at her PC today. She was checking some books that Izaya had given her for information. And he knew that she wouldn't tap something precious to her when she was irritated. She would probably think about ways to eliminate Izaya instead, as he was always the source of her irritation.

**Izaya.**

Kida looked at him once again . Izaya was tapping faster and maybe angrier than usual. Oh, the question had hit a nerve. He placed his hands on the sofa cushion and rested his head on them, smirking. In a few seconds Izaya would burst.

And indeed that happened. Izaya stopped tapping and as he read what he had written, he answered:

"Why do you want to know Kida?"

Oh, wow. Answering his question with a question? Kida smirked.

"I asked you first, Izaya-kun. Don't try to escape."

Izaya continued tapping. "That phone is used only to log into the Dollars website."

**What?**

"But you usually get your next victim from it or make someone’s life worse by spreading rumors on it." Saki said, surprising Kida.

So, from there Izaya got his next playthings. Ha, so he was right.

"Hahaha" Izaya laughed manically and stopped what he was writing to rotate his chair towards her. "True, but lately the website is becoming a newspaper."

When he didn't get any questions but a simple 'what' from Namie, he continued:

"There’s no juicy stuff on it anymore. If I try to spread rumors everyone will know it’s me. And also it’s become a lost and found website. Oh, I lost my dog. Oh, I lost my ticket. Lost, lost, lost. Fucking useless." He said, smiling likely to hide his frustration.

"But I thought you’d have fun with that system. You know...you could arrange an appointment with those people and crush them in the end, maybe?" Kida questioned and waited for Izaya to answer.

Izaya snorted. "Oh, please. You think that I didn't think of that. I don't do it because in that website everyone can be anyone. The girl who lost her kitty might be a man wanting to ambush one of the unsuspecting people who’d have an answer and then... No, I won't risk it. That person could be one of my enemies or again, not who they claim to be. No I prefer playing with people I know rather than on a website with unknown strangers who could be anything."

"And yet again the great information broker shows us how scary he is." Namie laughed.

"You look happy, woman~ Maybe I will set up a meeting for your brother and see how much fun he’ll have."

Namie gasped. **"Bastard! You wouldn't!** "

"Then stop sassing me, woman. I know what I'm doing. Otherwise you wouldn't have a boss and  consequently no money!"

"Shut up! I was just saying that you don't look as tough as you claim to be. You are just a normal person that waits for karma to return its favor. A sad person because you are a problematic asshole with no one by your side. Fucking..." Namie continued cursing Izaya.

Izaya just watched her with a smirk and let her stop her outburst when she wanted.

"...everyone is just tired of you. **Even your enemies are!** " Namie stopped but she didn't notice how Izaya flinched at her last words.

He slightly dropped  his smirk and used a fake smile on her. He turned to his computer and stared at the screen while maintaining his smile. Then his eyebrows furrowed. Kida understood what had happened. Izaya was angry. He was angry and still fucking holding that fake smile on his face. After a while, Izaya moved his hand and looked at his arm.

Suddenly, he spun in his chair, stood up to approach the window. He looked outside while softly murmuring something. Probably cursing, Kida thought.

"What is it? Why did you become quiet all of a sudden?" Namie questioned but didn't get an answer.

Namie titled her head in thought.

"Oh...did your monster do something to you?" She asked and waited for a reaction.

Of course! Kida mentally slapped himself. Something had happened at Izaya and Shizuo's battle today. It was shorter than usual and not many things were broken this time. That had stirred Kida's curiosity but he had erased it from his mind. It wasn't something important. But when he arrived here, Izaya's behavior was really different. Also the last thing Namie had said to him before he got quiet again was about his enemies.

Did he remember something from today's fight?

"..." Izaya stood quietly in front of the window and didn't say anything.

Namie sighed again and gave up. She went back to work.

"No..." She stopped.

**What the fuck?**

"No, Shizu-chan didn't do anything. Well, only the usual stuff but no. No. Not today."

He moved his hand towards the window. Kida noticed that Izaya had moved his hand directly over the moon and covered it up completely. His fingers were inside the circle and his palm caught the end of it. Izaya started swaying side to side and did exactly the same thing with his hand. Moving it left to right.

"I just feel that something bad is happening right now."

Unknown to Kida and Namie, Izaya frowned.

**-xxx-**

He held his hand up to cover the moon and saw that it didn't fit. He started closing his fingers until he finally managed to fit it beneath his outstretched hand and repeated the motion.

Why is Shizuo-senpai moving his hand like that, Vorona wondered as she watched Shizuo. Her team had finished their job and now all of them were heading home. But before they split up, Tom had suggested they eat at a restaurant they were passing. Vorona had expressed agreement while Shizuo had just said why not. Now they were outside eating in peace. Tom talked with Vorona and while she was answering his sometimes idiotic questions, she was paying extra attention to the blonde.

Today, as she had expressed earlier, was a really unusual day. Shizuo was normal in the morning but after the meeting with Izaya, Shizuo had become weird. He was paying attention to useless things like the birds, continued hitting people who sometimes, as Vorona had seen, didn't deserve it and hadn't thrown his anger out on any vending machines.

Usually she managed to understand some of the blonde's thoughts. She had found that when he was angry with one of their clients, at least one was hit with a vending machine. But today, only one machine had gone flying and it was the one he had thrown at Orihara. She frowned.

Her new mission was acting really weird today. He had completely changed his movements and spoke in so many ways that confused her. Did all people do that? Or was it only Shizuo? Either way, she had to find out.

Vorona complained to Tom that he had asked too many questions and Tom just laughed and scratched his head. He apologised explaining that he just wanted to make her comfortable. She nodded and said that she was indeed okay, but at the same time she glanced at Shizuo. Shizuo was still ignoring them while looking at the sky. At the moon, to be more specific.

Shizuo then moved his hand and grasped at the front of his uniform like he was in pain. She noticed that Tom had seen that too but before he had voiced his theory, the blonde stood up and moved three steps in front of them.

Then he moved his hand back over the moon. Vorona observed him and after a while, she came to a conclusion. Shizuo-senpai was changing his motions. Probably to confuse Vorona. Why did he move his hand like that and why didn't he participate in their conversation.

At that moment, a phone started vibrating. She checked and found that it wasn't hers or Tom's, it was Shizuo's. He moved his free hand inside his pocket and grabbed his phone. He looked at the notification bar and frowned. Finally, Vorona  saw a normal reaction from her task. He smashed it with his hand.

"Shizuo?! What are you doing? That was your phone!" Tom-senpai voiced his surprise with a yell while Shizuo just tsked.

"Yeah...so? I can buy a new one. No big deal."

"I know that but why..." Tom-senpai stopped probably because he didn't know how to form his thoughts into a question.

So, Vorona helped:

"Why did you reduce your phone to remains when you were  in completely good condition?" She asked and Tom-sempai nodded while showing her with his hands.

"Oh...well. That message was from the Dollars' website."

"But, I thought you had abandoned the Dollars."

"I had, Tom-senpai. But I had smashed my new phone by accident and got this old one again. Unfortunately, it still had that fucking site and whenever someone posted shit, it vibrated. Right now it kept vibrating! You saw it! It wouldn’t stop.So before I started getting furious, I smashed it for my own good and the city's. It isn't even anything important anymore. That fucking website has become a lost and found site." Shizuo-senpai explained and continued moving his hand on top of the moon.

"I know but you could have logged off the website and stopped getting those messages." Tom-senpai smiled and waited for Shizuo's answer.

As he spoke, Shizuo turned and listened to Tom. When he finished, Shizuo looked at the pavement and slapped himself.

"Shit! I broke it for no reason!"

"It’s okay, I will get you a new one. No, no...with our work's money. I will say that it was an accident. You will get a new one without paying anything." Tom-senpai snorted and smiled when Shizuo-senpai nodded.

"I have a question." Vorona entered their conversation.

"Sure, what is it?" Shizuo-senpai asked.

"Why do you move your hand like that?" She said.

Shizuo flinched and looked at his moving arm. But Tom answered the question for him.

"Oh, it a movement that relaxes Shizuo. When he is angry, he does that. But I haven't seen him do it for a long time. Anyway it is late, how about we start heading home?" Tom-senpai stood up and threw away his trash.

Shizuo nodded and Vorona said affirmative as both of them moved behind Tom and followed him.

But Vorona decided she would ask that question again because she knew that wasn't the correct answer. Otherwise Shizuo-senpai wouldn't have flinched at the question or  he would’ve nodded at Tom answer. Vorona wouldn't ask the same question but instead:

**_Why is your hand holding the moon?_ **

**-xxx-**

[22:00 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Agree with me guys! The website has become so predictable and useless.

[22:02 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

I agree with you! Nothing interesting is happening.

[22:04 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Yeah! Where is our founder? Does he know what his organization has become or does he just let it happen?

[22:05 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Does he not care anymore? Has he abandoned it?

[22:06 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

I think so. Or else he wouldn't let this happen. It is fucking annoying.

[22:07 / admins: 14 / Date: ...]

Information, Lost Cat, Lost Phone, Lost Dog, Lost ...

[22:07 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

See what I am talking about! Do they know that this website is for...

[22:08 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Oh, tell me! What is it about?

[22:10 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Not fucking this. Helping people, maybe, but becoming a lost and found site is too far.

[22:10 / admins: 32/ Date: ...]

Yes, I agree, fuck yeah, ahh, absolutely, indeed...

[22:15 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Turn it back to what it was before!

[22:16 / admin: . **?**./ Date: ...]

Does everyone want to turn this website back to what it was before?

[22:17 / admins: 50/ Date: ...]

Yes, fuck yeah, can we though, of course, we can...

[22:20 / admin: . **?**./ Date: ...]

Then how about this? ( _Link_ )

_Click_

It was yet again the Dollars website.

[22:22 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Are you kidding? It the same FUCKING WEBSITE!

[22:22 / admin: . **?**./ Date: ...]

Oh no, it isn't! It is an inside website. An underground website. The ones that enter now will have a new website to chat. As well as the ones who are still active in the Dollars.

[22:23 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

A secret website.

[22:23 / admin: . **?**./ Date: ...]

Yeah, exactly. Without any ads or useless things. Only information.

[22:25 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Finally. Now we can start talking about something interesting without anyone cutting us off with idiotic stuff!

[22:28 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

How about our famous duo?

[22:30 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Yeah, did you see them today? They started fighting as usual until...

[22:32 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Until what? I wasn't there today. I didn't see it!

[22:34 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

They stopped and just stared at each other. Without fighting.

[22:35 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Really?

[22:35 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

That's not unusual!

[22:36 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Yeah, but they stood 10 meters away from each other. Without fighting or Heiwajima growling or Orihara talking. They didn't talk to each other for  5 minutes or at least it felt that long. I remember it felt like it lasted an eternity for me.

[22:39 / admins: 100/ Date: ...]

Shut up!

Really?

The apocalypse is near!

That's not real.

Are you fucking kidding me?

No, they were were looking at each other.

Was Orihara smiling?

Yeah, Heiwajima was clenching his teeth. Yeah, I know but they didn't FIGHT!

[22:49 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Has something happened?

[22:50 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

I think so! I heard Orihara saying that Heiwajima knew something and then everything stopped moving.

[22:50 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Maybe something between them (*¯ ³¯*)

[22:55 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Oh, no! Not this again.

[22:56 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

How about no? I don't think something like that has happened.

[22:57 / admins: 34/ Date: ...]

I agree.

They are just fighting.

Yes, they are archenemies.

Not something like that omg. Stop! No yaoi girls.

[22:58 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Yeah sorry, I don't believe it either anymore. Every day the same fight and nothing special.

[22:59 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

I don't believe they were even friends.

[23:00 / admin: . **?**./ Date: ...]

There is really a lot of negative responses.

[23:02 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Of course, there are. No one believes that the famous duo was in good terms or lovers!

[23:05 / admin: .../ Date: ...]

Or friends, for fuck sake.

[23:05 / admin: . **?**./ Date: ...]

Really? What if I tell you that they were?

[23:07 / admins: 167/ Date: ...]

**Really?**

[23:10 / admin: . **?**./ Date: ...]

Hahaha, yeah!

[23:12 / admin: . **?**./ Date: ...]

Let the show begin! ( _Link_ )

 **_Click_ ** **.**

A picture.

Yet no one knew how that picture would change Ikebukuro's fate forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh what's is going to happen? What that picture contains?  
> See you next time!


	3. Weird Situations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here is the new chapter!  
> I am not totally satisfied of how it turned but anyway!  
> Enjoy!

The city had gone quiet.

 _Really_ quiet.

Celty thought while looking around. Maybe because no fights had occurred that week. Not between any gangs or students.

Not even between Shizuo and Izaya. That was weird. Usually at least one fight would’ve occurred between those two. Or at least one vending machine would’ve gone flying and been found three miles away. She shrugged her shoulders.

Celty  looked around again. She’d noticed that some people were constantly on their phones lately. Maybe they were looking at their messages or perhaps they were about to call someone. But observing them she realized that all of them were typing. Messages then. Maybe they were on a forum. A new forum? She opened her phone and, after looking at her messages and seeing that no one had texted her, an idea rushed to her head.

Maybe the _forum_ was the Dollars website.

She typed and clicked onto the Dollars website. Well, that wasn’t it. The ads were still ongoing and as she scrolled down she noticed no one had made any complaints about it. Wow! How so? Since this ridiculous trend had started on the website, she saw many comments from people complaining about it and addressing the founder to fix this problem.

But Celty knew why Mikado had quit the Dollars website. And as always she wouldn't tell anyone about it. She sighed. Well, maybe people had stopped spending their time on this website because they’d found another one. Frowning, Celty decided she wanted to find that website, too. She wanted to see things like people saw. How they saw them. Celty enjoyed reading those messages.Humans had inside them so many feelings and emotions. It was a different outlook on this world she saw from different eyes. It made her feel...human.

Celty closed her phone but didn't put it away inside her uniform. She petted her motorbike-sometimes-horse and it roared with approval and understanding. Yes, she felt human. Although she walked and acted liked one, she didn't feel like one. Her understanding of feelings was different and her thinking was not like a human. Celty had many ways to act and talk but...she was not a human. She was a dullahan.

Celty wanted to join that new website and she knew that she would find it. She wanted to read their comments and feel like a human again. It was an easy way to understand what and how people saw the world so she could see it like that too .

Not to act like them, only to see how it was. She wouldn't act inhuman even though she was not human. Celty was a nice person.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated dragging her away from her thoughts. She opened it and saw that she had a message from Shinra

{Hey, my love! My Celty (ﾉ´з｀)ノ My beautiful wife! How are you? Are you ok? Are you lonely? Oh no, don't worry my love, I am coming to get you and be with you! ﾐ(o*･ω･)ﾉ }

{Shinra! Get back inside our house and don't leave! Don't you have work?}

{Oh, of course! Someone called me and they will come any minute now, but nothing is more important than you Celty~}

{Oh, god, Shinra! Help your patient. I am fine. Thanks for asking.} She texted and waited for Shinra’s answer.

{Oh, please. You are lonely, aren't you?}

{Yeah, I am. But that’s no reason for you to come here!}

{Ok, I will not come. But don't worry! Shizuo is coming back today, isn't he?}

Celty looked at the message for several moments. Yeah, how could she have _forgotten_ that. Shizuo had gone away on a business trip he was assigned to(at least this is what she had been told by Shizuo one day before he left). He had told her that he would hit something and find someone. As always Shizuo didn't know where he would go and what he would do.

But that didn't stop Shizuo from going. As long as he was paid with a really huge amount of money, he was ok. Of course, he was only taking them because he wanted to pay off the damages he had cost to the city. She was so surprised when Shizuo had told her that. She thought that he never paid any damages because the city couldn't take him to the courts. But as always Shizuo wanted to repair what he had damaged in his rage outburst.

But what surprised her most was that when she’d asked what he would get from it, he had told her that he was doing it for free. Wow. She didn't know why Shizuo had accepted a job which didn't involve something that would help him later. Celty had been baffled. She still was.

Why had he accepted it? And also, she thought while hitting her helmet, why had the city gone quiet after Shizuo left. Did Shizuo's absence cause something?

She shook her helmet. No. Shizuo had left the city before, for a longer time. This time he was only  gone for one week. Yet why did she feel like Shizuo was the one that caused this to happen?

{Ah~ Sorry Celty my client is here. I will talk to you later! Don't get sad. You don't look beautiful like that. I want you to smile and I know you can! I know something that will cheer you up! Maybe at home~ ヽ(*・ω・)ﾉ }

Celty looked down at her forgotten conversation and smiled despite not having a head. Well, even though Shinra was a pervert, he still managed to make her smile. But before she could put her phone away, she received a message.

She smiled and jumped from her motorcycle. **_Shizuo_ **!

{Hey, Celty. I know that I haven't texted you recently and yeah I know you will lecture me about it. I’m sorry but nevermind that. I am coming back tomorrow!}

{Really? Did you finish? Finally, do you want me to pick you up?}

{No, it’s ok. I will come on my own but how about we meet after?}

After she texted back and confirmed that indeed she wanted to, Shizuo ended their conversation with a simple ok and see you. Celty smiled again. Finally, she could do something. It was really boring without Shizuo around. And yeah even though they didn't exchange many words when they were together, she enjoyed his company. At least she wouldn't be alone.

That last thought sent her mind to Shinra. Ha, he was right. She was smiling. Not from the way Shinra’s text had insinuated but she was ok with that. Shinra and his idiotic thinking. She sighed happily. Finally, Shizuo was coming back. Her horse roared again to show that he was pleased too. She petted him.

Now that she thought about it, Izaya hadn't contacted her either. Well, maybe seeing that Shizuo was out of town, he hadn't had any reason to visit Ikebukuro. But, although Izaya enjoyed having fun with Shizuo, he still had some clients here (and many from the way she delivered information all over the town). Yet she hadn't seen him. Neither walking around nor speaking with anyone.

That's why this week was so weird. Shizuo was out of town, Izaya hadn't shown signs of existence and the gangs had disappeared. All of them were making Ikebukuro a normal town. Wow. Ikebukuro a normal town. Her shoulders shook with silent laughter. It was either that or something big was going to happen.

Her phone vibrated for the third time. Wow! Why was everyone texting her? Was it _Izaya_? Maybe?

 **No.** It was Anri.

(Celty-chan! I know that now it is not a good time but could you come here?... I think there is a gang here and they are ready to fight.)

(On my way)

She texted back and hopped onto her horse. Finally, something interesting was happening.

**_-xxx-_ **

Anri looked at the text and smiled. Well, at least she wouldn’t be alone. She’d be with Celty. Someone she could trust in this situation. She looked again at the boys in front of her while she was hid behind a wall, maybe, ten meters away. They continued their conversation but because she was too far away she couldn't understand what they were saying. Right now they were behind an abandoned building and the thing that surprised Anri most was that it was in the center of Ikebukuro.

How did one of the busiest districts, that Anri knew of, have an empty building inside its center? Had it been abandoned before? Or was it only recently? How could she have missed it until now? She walked the road in front of that building every day to school. Even the alley she crossed to come here had been more vivid than that building.

It looked like it had been abandoned since the 18th century. Yet it stood taller than all the other buildings around it. How? She shook her head and refocused on her task. The boys were still talking. _The gang_.

But what made Anri sick was that she knew that gang.

The _Yellow Scarves_.

Kida said that he’d disassembled the gang. He believed that he didn't need it anymore.  So why were they in front of her now?

On second thought, she examined their faces. She...she...didn't know any of them.

Anri didn't recognize anyone.

_Maybe...?_

Yeah, Saika was right. She closed her eyes and focused.

...

No one was cut from Saika. How was that possible? Sure, Haruna hadn't cut every single person in the city, but at least one of them should have been cut.

Right? Yet no one was responding to her call.

No, she shook her head. Maybe she should try another technique. She closed her eyes.

**_Has anyone seen these boys before?_ **

She asked and sent her message to any nearby ex-yellow scarves.

**_No, mother. I haven't seen those boys. Not inside our gang, at least._ **

Anri opened her eyes and let them stay red. So the Yellow Scarves hadn’t disbanded, they’d just found new members. Actually, she hadn't heard any incidents from the Yellow Scarves in weeks so she erased that thought. She knew that Kida would do anything to keep their friendship intact. And for that, he needed Anri’s trust. So, she would give him that.

She hit the wall in frustration, but not hard enough to be heard by the group in front of her. No one knew these boys so..something must be happening. Maybe, a different gang had formed. No. They wouldn't use the same color as another one if that were the case.

So, it was a replica then? A _phony_? She frowned. Why would they do something like that?

Suddenly, something appeared from her left side and before she took out Saika, she managed to see Celty coming towards her.

(Is everything alright? I know you sent me that message but I feel like something else was meant to be written)

Anri smiled. How did Celty-san know her so well?

"Yeah! I saw some boys wearing yellow clothing so I thought it was Yellow Scarves." She whispered.

" _Thought_?" Someone said.

She turned her head to notice Kida standing behind Celty..

(I found him on my way here and he said that he was coming to see you too so...) Celty explained while Kida moved towards Anri.

Of course. Anri looked at her watch. She was supposed to meet up with her best friends in five minutes. How could she have forgotten?

While she told Celty that it was okay and explained why Kida had come, Kida watched the boys in front of them. How they hadn't noticed them yet, he had no idea. Some of them were sitting against the wall and others were standing in front of the others. They were just talking. He scratched his chin. What were they doing behind this building and...why were they just standing there? And why...

"Do you know any of them, Kida-kun?" Anri's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

He shook his head. "No. I..I don't even recognize them. Are they waiting for someone?"

"I don't think so. I felt one of my children's pain so I came here to investigate. He was okay but he told me that some boys with yellow clothing had attacked him. So I searched and found these boys hanging around, probably looking for a fight. They had defeated one of my strongest children." Anri whispered.

(That's why you texted me?) Celty tapped.

"Yes, but when you replied those kids came inside this alley and have just been sitting there since."

Celty came closer. (Are they looking for a fight?) She pointed her screen at Kida.

"No...not from the way they’re sitting. They’re too relaxed." Kida turned at Anri. "Where did they hit your ' _kid_ '? "

She closed her eyes and opened them, her eyes red yet again. "At an abandoned site. My child is now in Ikebukuro's hospital. But I sensed his attacker’s presence, that's why I was searching around here. The site of the attack was really far from here."

(And you think that they came here by foot?)

"I don't know, Celty-san. I know that my child left with the ambulance. But from his description, this group matches the one that attacked him."

Kida observed Anri. "Did...did he work at that site?"

Anri's eyes widened. "I...I don't know. I must be around him to ask that kind of thing. Do you think that they were looking for something there?"

"It’s the only thing I can think of. Or they’re just show-offs that want to show their strength." Kida cocked his head to the side. "I don't think it’s the latter though. They’re using my gang's color so...maybe it’s a distraction? Maybe they’re another gang that wants to put the blame on my gang. But, the other major gang that exists here are the Blue Squares and I don’t recognise any of these boys as one of them."

(Maybe it’s another gang?)

"I don't think so. Or, at least, I would’ve known which one it was. Maybe... **the Dollars**." He stopped and laughed. "No, no, no. Not the Dollars obviously." Kida laughed and continued watching the gang in front of him, while Anri blushed red.

(Why not **the** **Dollars**?) Celty asked.

Kida looked at her dumbfounded and Anri just smiled.

"Um, Celty-san. Don't joke now."

(No wait! Why would I joke?)

Anri opened her mouth but Kida spoke first.

"You haven't seen the...picture?" He asked.

(What picture?) Celty asked, but before she got an answer her phone vibrated loudly.

Anri cursed and Kida moved towards them. After a moment of confusion, Celty understood why. The gang.

"Hey, who’s there?" One of them yelled and then they appeared from behind the wall.

Seven people at least, Anri counted. _Seven_ ? She remembered _five_ . _How_?

"Is there a problem?" Kida said, smiling and bowing. "We just found our stuff so we’ll be leaving now." He lied, probably because he wanted to avoid a fight.

"Oh, really kiddo? Then where’s your stuff? Is it thick air and a bunch of lies!" The tallest one yelled. "Are you looking for a fight? Because you found one!"

"Oh, wait! We aren't looking for any trouble!" Anri calmly said, while Celty nodded and waved her hands placatingly.

She didn't want any fights either. Well, she wanted action but not a fight. Celty tapped at her PDA and showed them the screen.

(We will leave. No need to fight.)

"Shit! You’re the headless rider, right? Ho, even more reason to start a fight. Dude, if we defeat the black rider, we’ll move up!" One of the boys smirked.

"Wait, wait! _What_?... Don't you know who I am?" Kida hissed.

"A boy that will probably end up in a hospital!" The tallest said and then attacked.

But Kida was faster. Before the punch collided with his face, he grasped and twisted it down. The boy screamed but Kida  punched him with his other hand and let him fall behind his shocked friends.

"Come on, let's go!" Kida yelled.

Then the trio moved away from the alley. Celty summoned her bike, but for some reason their communication was stopped. When they stepped out, she realized why. Some other brats were holding it down. Celty shook her head. _How? How were they holding her horse down?_ They didn't have anything on top of it and they weren't using anything to secure it. They had just pushed it over l and then held it down.

While Celty was slowly panicking, Anri and Kida cursed. The road was now filled with yellow-clad people. Anri, while looking around, wondered if Kida knew anyone. But from the way Kida just looked angrier, she realized that wasn't the case.

"What the fuck?" Kida cursed.

The road was now filled with at least 20 people and everyone was looking at them. Ready to attack. Anri cursed too. How did she not notice anyone coming? Or sense a possible threat coming? And how had all of them appeared here? There were just five people when she started.

...

The building. Maybe it was their hideaway. But...Saika would’ve felt the people inside. _Right_?

The one that Kida had hit left the alley with a bruised nose. He growled and then all of them encircled the trio.

"You fucking kid! Who do you think you are? You’re going down!" He yelled and moved towards Kida.

But then a black blur moved and he fell down. Anri looked at Celty who, as she had guessed, had materialised her scythe. She moved towards the crowd and cut the air in front of them. At the same time, Kida moved and hit two people dead-on and, while using one of them as a base to jump off, he punched another one to his side.

Anri was ready to attack, ready to use Saika. She didn't want to resort to using Saika, so she backed away from the crowd. But at any moment, she would be ready to use Saika if necessary. She kicked one man who attempted to punch her and while he was falling towards her, she used her elbow to hit him again. He fell down unconscious.

After a few more punches, Anri found all of their enemies unconscious on the ground. It looked like Kida had been hit from the way he was holding his cheek. Celty had rescued her horse and was now petting it while it bounced up and down happily. Anri smiled and approached Kida.

"Kida-kun. You’re hurt."

"Oh, it’s nothing, Anri-chan. Just a punch. It’ll bruise but it’s better than a broken bone. Right?" He smiled and showed her his cheek.

(Oh, you’re alright, don't worry. But is it just me or was the fight a little too easy?) Celty asked, while pointing at their fallen foes.

"Yes, you’re right. Something fishy is going on here!" Kida replied and then paused.

Anri followed Kida’s line of vision and gasped. The tallest one, even though he was covered with blood, was standing up and pointing a gun at Kida.

"Boy...you really are an ass. Look what you’ve done! I will never move up with this. I will...fuck you up. I will end you!" The tallest boy screamed.

_Bang!_

Anri shouted and was ready to move Kida out of the way, but then something restrained her from behind. She looked down and saw Celty's shadows holding her in place. But before she could ask why, she saw Kida.

**Standing.**

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and looked back at the boy. In his position was now a van. A van that she knew very well.

" **_NO ONE, FUCKING NO ONE DESTROYS MY VAN! You fucker_ **!" Someone yelled and then the windows opened showing an angry Togusa.

She looked to the left and indeed the guy had just been hit by the van. Celty released Anri and, after asking if everyone was alright, she approached the boy.

"Anri-chan! Masaomi!" Someone yelled.

Anri turned and was hugged by none other than Mikado.

"Are you okay?" When both of them confirmed that they were, he continued. "I was going to meet you but Kadota offered to give me a ride. So, I agreed and then two guys ran into Togusa's van with another car. They just disappeared but as always Togusa followed their tracks. He found their car. It was in front of this road and then we saw you here. Ready to be shot!" Mikado started to get even more worried but Kida waved his hand.

"I’m ok. _Ouch_ , hey!"

"Oh, really mister _'I’m ok_ '. All I did was touch you. You‘ve definitely bruised it."

"No shit _Sherlock_. I know I did."

"Hey, are we okay?" Kadota's voice interrupted their conversation and both of them stopped fighting.

"Yeah...is the guy okay?" Mikado asked.

"Ah yeah. He might have a concussion. Probably a broken arm. We didn't drive very fast so...yeah he should be okay."

"He _fucking_ deserves it. How will I  repair my van? Erika will just buy a new bumper with an anime girl printed on it." Togusa complained, looking at the damages.

(Erika? Is she not here?) Celty asked.

"Oh, no. She’s at Russian Sushi. We were going to meet her there. Care to join us? All of you." Kadota asked, while observing the fallen people.

He then looked at Kida with a frown and Kida shook his head.

"Yeah. Of course. I need to fix a misunderstanding before it occurs." Kida declared while glaring at Kadota.

He then turned to Mikado. But Mikado was looking at the building in front of them. His smile had disappeared and he was moving his eyebrows up and down.

Mikado observed their surroundings and touched his chin with a frown. He turned his head to look at the road the van had appeared from, more specifically at the car, then shook his head.

It was only after the trio had entered the van with Celty following behind them , that Anri understood what Mikado was thinking.

**The car.**

_How did the group in the car know about the fight?_

**_-xxx-_ **

"How MUCH DOES IT COST?"

"40,000 yen."

"Are you fucking KIDDING ME? I can't find so much money to repair it!"

"Then we’ll find a used one!"

Togusa stood in front of the engineer and Kadota watched him have the longest panicked conversation with him. He smiled. Well, at least no one was hurt... From his team, of course. The other ones, as Togusa said, deserved what happened to them.

He turned his head. The trio were talking with Celty or he thought they were. Celty tapped furiously on her PDA while Kida gestured with his hands and was moving back and forth. But, looking at the other two kids he concluded they were telling  each other jokes. Probably to reduce the stress from today's craziness.

Kadota frowned. _Seconds_. If they had come even just a few seconds later, then he didn't know what would’ve happened. On the road, Kida had relayed everything that had happened and also voiced his thoughts. Like Kida, who had focussed on one single detail, he was stuck on that question too.

Who were those _people_ ? And why were they using the Scarves' color? Maybe someone had brought back the gang. _No_. No one would resurface a damaged beyond repair gang or use it as a replica. Something was happening and he would find out what. But before that he needed to get to Erika before anything happened.

Kadota dragged Togusa away from his van and walked beside the trio and Celty. When they finally reached Russian Sushi, Kida said.

"Hey. Where’s Erika? Usually, she’s making an ' _intro_ ' before we even get inside."

“Well, I think she’s inside one of the private booths. Either way, she’ll yell when she sees us." Kadota answered.

Indeed, when she saw them, Erika stood up and waved her hands like she was in a stadium full of people and she was screaming at her friends to follow her. Well, at least she didn't scream their names when they entered the shop.

After Simon appeared and took their orders, Erika said.

"Hey! Did you see Simon outside? No, no no...I know, don't answer! We saw him talking to another mysterious man on the corner of the shop." Erika giggled.

"Yeah and he sounded angry too." Walker continued.

"Did he speak in Russian?" Kida asked.

"Yeah, i think so. Why? Do you think that someone wants something from him?"

"I don't know. Maybe. _Maybe he asked about the weather_."

Erika laughed while Walker just waved his hands and spoke nonsense.

"Was he wearing anything yellow?" Kadota asked, surprising everyone.

Erika touched her chin and tried to remember.

"...No. Why?"

Kadota pointed at Kida and Kida relayed everything. Well, not everything. He skipped the part about Anri and Saika. Then, Kadota said his side of the story while Simon brought their orders.

"So, there’s a ' _mysterious_ ' gang in the city." Erika concluded, while Celty wrote something on her PDA.

(Has anyone seen them before?)

Walker shook his head. "We haven't seen any gangs lately. Not a yellow one to be precise."

Kadota turned to Kida. "Did you leave any _substitutes_ behind?"

Kida shook his head. "No, I haven't. The Scarves are dead. It has been for a year."

Kadota mumbled ' _Semi-dead_ ' and Kida snorted, mumbling back ' _Maybe_ '.

But then Kida remembered something. "If they’re using my gang’s color, then shouldn’t they know who the previous leader of the gang was?"

Everyone nodded.

"Well, they didn't recognize me. So, there’s something fishy going on here."

"I agree, but we don't know anything about them." Walker began but Togusa stopped him.

"Yeah, we do." He said casually while eating his lunch.

Everyone turned to him and after a few seconds he realized that everyone was watching him.

He cleared his throat and explained. "Well, when they hit my car, _fucking pieces of shit_ , I saw their faces. I wanted to remember them so I could...yeah, yeah, sorry. As Erika knows, I can read lips. A talent that I learned from her and a useful one too. So, I read their lips and usually someone would say ' _shit_ ' or ' _run_ '. But...I didn't understand what they were saying. It wasn't English or Japanese. It was another language. And..no. Not Russian. I only know a few words but I don't think so. Anyway we know that this gang speaks another language so..."

"This gang is from another country and appeared here while using the same color as mine?"

"Maybe. But Kida-kun said they knew Japanese. So, they must know another language too and use it to communicate with each other. That's why I couldn't understand any words or what they were saying." Anri added.

(And also what were they doing behind that building?)

"And how did they know where the fight was?"

"And why did they hit my van?"

"And why were they speaking another language?"

Celty watched everyone talking but her mind was on another thing that shocked her. _How did they stop my bike from moving?_ A question that needed an answer. She was shocked but it wasn't the first time this had happened to her. But then again those men hadn't used or worn anything to make her horse numb. Maybe they had used an anti-matter weapon?

Celty shook her head. She needed information. Wait. _Information_.

(Anri, Kida, you haven't answered my question.) She typed and showed them.

At the same time, the non-stop questions ceased and everyone read Celty's PDA.

"What question?" Both of them asked.

(What picture?)

Kida choked onhis water and Anri once again turned red.

"What picture?" Mikado repeated the question.

"Hahaha, Mikado. **_THE_ ** picture!" Kida said and everyone watched Celty.

(What?)

"Um..Celty-san. Where were you one week ago? Something happened on the Dollars site." Walker explained

(Really? That's why I haven't seen anyone commenting and complaining about the website?)

"Yeah! Someone made another one. An underground website. It’s like the Dollars but it’s a private one. One that doesn't have those apps." Togusa explained

"Yeah, the founder must have made it..." Celty glanced at Mikado and let Erika continued her monologue.

Mikado's mouth was a straight line. When Celty looked at him, he turned his head and sighed. He shook his head. So, he didn't do it. Then, who did?

"Here, give me your PDA and...here you are! The secret Dollars website!" Walker said.

Celty observed it. It was just like the Dollars but when she scrolled down, she finally saw a normal conversation.

(So...what picture?)

Erika stopped talking and opened her phone.

"Well, because it was uploaded one week ago, you won’t find it easily so...here." She responded with a serious attitude and gave her phone to Celty.

_Then, her shadows puffed out of her helmet._

"I know, shocking right!" Walker beamed.

**What? What was this?**

It was a picture of _Izaya_ and _Shizuo_. While Kadota explained how this picture had appeared, Celty examined it closely.

This picture must’ve been taken when Shizuo and Izaya were in high school. They were both inside a classroom and they were...sitting together. The classroom was empty except for those two. They were sitting at a desk, not in front of each other but besides each other. This was the first thing that surprised Celty. _They were inside a room that wasn't destroyed to pieces._

Then it was how they were sitting. Izaya was leaning back in his chair, balancing on two legs, while Shizuo sat properly in his. The next thing was that the pencil Shizuo was holding wasn't broken. It was intact and...Shizuo was writing with it. In front of them were some books and papers. Izaya, while one of his hands was holding the chair so he wouldn't fall down, was pointing with the other at something inside one of the books.

His face, while holding his usual smirk on, was relaxed and from the way his mouth was opened it was clear that he was explaining something to Shizuo. Shizuo looked angry as usual but not furious and he was staring at Izaya's hand. He was angry with what was on the page rather than with Izaya.

This picture was _surreal_ for Celty. _What was going on? Why were they relaxed and not trying to kill each other?_ As far back as she could remember, those two were always trying to kill each other. So, **what the hell**?

"Yeah, we had the same faces when we saw the picture too." Kadota said

"It’s begun a phenomenon. Everyone is discussing this picture. The way our famous duo is so relaxed and not trying to kill each other is just...a _fantasy_. And here we are. This picture changes everything." Erika continued with a serious face.

(But... wow.) Celty tapped but erased it. She needed information. This picture seemed so fake, but at the same time it was so real.

(Is the picture real?) She asked hoping to get a negative answer.

Celty was feeling _weird_. Those two figures couldn't be the same people she knew, experienced and lived her life with. It must be a prank, a fake picture or something.

But Walker shook his head her hand dropped.

"The picture is real. What’s happening in the picture is true. The positions, the duo, and the classroom are all real. There is no photo manipulation in it. If I remember correctly, three people tested it so they could prove the picture was fake. But..."

"Celty that picture was taken in real life. It’s true." Kadota said and smiled.

But her tension didn't fade. (Kadota..they are in a classroom. Your classroom. So you must know what was going on in there. But instead, you don't.)

Kadota sighed. "Yeah, that's true." He was interrupted by his gang and their questions of 'you knew...in high school?' and such. But he cut them off and continued.

"But you know as well as Shinra that he and I had to leave Raijin in second year. Remember? I went to another school and Shinra went to a better one. So that scene is weird for me too. I couldn't believe it either. How were those two okay being in the same room? I asked myself, but then I remembered the second year I left Raijin so... Something must have happened then. After we graduated from school...we also didn't hear anything from them. No news or specifically fights. But two years later we heard about Shizuo and his arrest. After that, the arguments and their usual fights returned."

(So, you believe something happened between them, right?)

"Yeah. And not only in high school but also in those two years. If they were fighting or at least if Shizuo was breaking stuff, shouldn't we have heard something. Why did we only hear news from them two years after our graduation?"

Kadota said and paused. There was only awkward silence between them while everyone was in their thoughts. Damn if only they had some information about this situation. Then this wouldn't be so _weird._

As if in response to her thoughts, Mikado asked.

"Do you think...that Shizuo-san knows about this?"

(Oh no. Don't worry, he’s out of town.)

"Oh, what a relief." Kida breathed.

(He’s coming tomorrow. So I don't think he knows about this. Also, he left the Dollars. So, I think we are okay."

"Good! Because I thought that Shizuo-san had gone and killed Izaya-kun for this." Mikado added.

"Hey, do you think that Iza-Iza knows about this?" Erika gulped and everyone froze.

"He doesn't." Kida answered.

"Really? _How do you know_?" Mikado asked.

Kida gulped. "I wasn’t there but someone told me he’d closed his phone that accessed the Dollars website."

"Really? Wow. We’re lucky then. Otherwise our town would’ve become a ghost town from this." Walker beamed.

"But for how long? We know that Izaya is an information broker, so one day everything will go to hell." Togusa continued.

Everyone agreed. Sooner or later, Izaya would find out about this. Then what would happen? Kadota scratched his chin. A thought occurred to him that had been eating at him all day.

"Hey, Erika. I know that this is so _fucking weird,_ but how have you not fangirled about this. Every time I’ve seen you talking about this you’re serious and collected. So, why?"

"Oh, well...that picture doesn't prove anything at all. Yeah, it’s a picture of my new OTP, but if you observe the picture and examine it many times, you will see that there’s nothing going on. Every day I see something that will lead me to yaoi proof. A touch, a few words with deeper meaning. But in that picture, all I can see is two students studying. Many fangirls agree so I can't say anything or fangirl over anything.

"But now I have!" She screamed and searched for something on her phone.

"What do you mean?" Everyone asked.

"Oh yeah. You haven't seen it! This is **yaoi PROOF** . The admin who posted the first picture posted a new one this morning and it has already been tested. It’s real as fuck! **LOOK**!" She screamed and put her phone in the center of the table.

Just as she said there was a new picture. In it were  Izaya and Shizuo yet again. But they weren't inside their classroom this time, they were outside. On school grounds. They were still wearing their school uniforms. Both of them were standing a few meters, but not too far, away from each other.

Shizuo’s posture was relaxed. He had his hands in his pockets and was looking at Izaya. His eyes though were showing worry or maybe surprise at what was happening. His mouth was a straight line like he was holding back what he was going to say and his eyebrows were slightly raised up.

Izaya was positioned so that only his front was showing in the picture. He had an open mouth, meaning he was talking. But his eyes weren't focused on Shizuo, instead they were looking at the ground. His smirk was gone and only a serious expression remained. His hands were behind his back and the way he was positioned hid what was behind him.

Celty wouldn't have thought this was any yaoi proof or anything. It just showed the duo standing and talking to each other. But the picture also showed something more. The angle of the picture was positioned in a way that also showed the ground. They were standing on pavement and were probably away from school.

And far from it because there was something in the background that Celty knew very well. She also knew what they implied.

There were **_Sakura petals._ **

**_-xxx-_ **

Namie wrote  on her PC as usual. Finally, after one week of sorting through files, she could use her computer again. But at what cost? To fucking rewrite all that information in digital form. When she’d asked Izaya why they needed to have both versions, he had said that it was better safe than sorry.

Yeah, sure. It wasn’t that he just liked watching Namie suffer. At least this week hadn’t been completely boring. She stopped writing, not only because she was exhausted with it but also because she’d written this sentence three times already and every time she’d get it wrong. And why? Because of Izaya, that's why!

_Him and that fucking picture!_

After the incident with Mikado, she had found (not with the bastard's help) the password for the Dollars and joined. She wanted to be ready when something big happened. Namie had people to take care of like Seiji. She smiled.

Anlso that website had so much information. Yeah, she could understand why Izaya was always on it. Until maybe one month ago, when the website had become trash. A useless website. A destroyed one, to be exact.

When Izaya had turned off his phone, she was shocked. Yeah, the website was useless, but she was sure that Izaya would’ve done something to turn it back.

But Izaya had _given_ _up_.

That was what shocked her most. Sure she’d seen him turn his phone off but never the Dollars one. After spending so much time with him, she knew a few things about him and how he operated. So yes. She was speechless.

So after Izaya said that something big was happening, she opened her phone and checked the website for information. Namie knew when Izaya was right. He always turned to look down at his humans when he was right. So, not only did that happen, but she also got the feeling that the Apocalypse was nigh.

She thought that Izaya would’ve checked or opened his phone by now to see the website. But no, he hadn't. All in all, he was acting like before. The only thing different was that he spent more hours here and not outside.

Maybe he knew and that's why he didn't go out. Because maybe Heiwajima also knew and then the apocalypse would really come. _Or not_.

God that picture put her in deep thought. What was going on in it? She peeked at her boss. He was still on his computer. Good. She was so thankful that she had moved her desk away from him. Now she could work in peace and see things like this picture without him knowing. She found the picture and reexamined it.

Why was Izaya  so fucking different? He had on his usual smirk but he was RELAXED. Izaya was calm, he didn't fake it. It was a real smirk. He was amused in the picture.

And the fortissimo wasn’t angry. Irritated...pissed...or done would be the perfect word for how he looked. She tried to see what was written on the papers without success. The only thing she managed to see were a few words, but she couldn't understand them. Wow, Heiwajima’s handwriting was terrible.

But the fact that they were sitting so close to each other was what pissed Namie off most. She remembered when Shizuo had come and she was sure that he would’ve pulled off the door to kill Izaya. She saw and experienced how Heiwajima acted with Izaya and how Izaya acted around him too.

But _this_. She didn't have a fucking clue.

And that second picture. God. What was happening? What was going on in this picture? Izaya was talking to the fortissimo.

**Talking!**

That serious face. He wasn't playing with him like he did every day she saw them. And Shizuo was _LISTENING_ to him. He was looking at him. His attention **WAS** on him. And the position of Izaya's eyes burned Namie. He was looking down.

Whatever Izaya was hiding behind his back made Namie want to kill him from curiosity . She wanted to know what he was holding but at the same time, she didn't. Namie would be skinned alive if she showed these pictures to him, she was sure about that.

The fallen petals made her want to vomit. No, this couldn't be true. She knew Izaya. He was arrogant. A fucking bastard. He wouldn't do something like this.

Izaya would demand something like this, he would manipulate them into this only to break them into pieces. Yet his hands behind his back made her think again.

Shizuo and Izaya had been fighting for years. But now these pictures changed her perspective of her boss. What was happening? She would find out eventually.

Namie closed her phone and turned her glance in front of her. How had Izaya moved the couch without her knowing? She looked at him. He was pacing back and forth. Well, something didn't go according to his plans. Good.

"Did you lose some of your pawns?" She smiled.

Izaya continued circling and within a second a smirk appeared on his face. He hadn’t been smirking? Well, that’s interesting.

"Oh, no. Not yet. Tomorrow, however, I will. But I’ve had a nice time playing anyway." He said without stopping his circle.

"Well, who made a fool of you this time?" She giggled.

"Your brother."

In record time she stood up. "BASTARD! WHAT did you to my brother?"

"Oh, nothing yet. But who’s the fool now, ne~" Izaya laughed still walking.

"Bastard! I don't know why I asked you in the first place. You should die!"

"Gladly. But who else will pay you so much money?"

"No one! That's the problem!" She yelled and sat down.

But her curiosity ate at her.

"So, what happened?"

Izaya stopped and looked at her. "I lost a bargain." He said after a while.

"Oh really~" She sang.

"Shut up, woman." He said smirking. After a few seconds, he continued. "The problem is that my customer was informed, or better yet, blackmailed by someone not to talk to me."

"Oh and our great broker can't find him?~"

"No." He spat angrily after turning towards the TV.

That's weird. She examined him. He looked exhausted. Did he search for that person? For how many hours? She remembered the last appointment he had was at five in the afternoon. She looked at the clock. Eleven.

He was frustrated. Maybe a distraction would be nice. But anything that crossed her mind was cut short.

"Do you have any other customers today?"

"No."

"Have you found your next client’s information?"

"Three days ago."

"Anything fun happening outside?"

"It’s all boring. Typical humans."

An idea occurred to her. But would it...be okay? She hoped and prayed for her next question.

"Why don't you go and have some fun with your monster?"

But Izaya just looked at her dumbfounded and...laughed. He fucking laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"My **_monster_ **?"

"Yeah, yours. I haven't seen you going to Ikebukuro this week. Why? Are you afraid?" She asked annoyed, while Izaya walked to the window and looked outside as he continued laughing.

"Well, Shizu-chan sure is a monster. A tedious monster. But not _my_ monster." He said with playful tone but Namie caught the undertone.

 _Sad_? No fucking way! That picture was messing up her brain.

"He’s not here."

**What?**

"And how..."

"How do I know? Well, have you seen any flying vending machines? No? Me neither. Have you heard any incidents? No! Shizu-chan is not here. He’s out of town."

"And how do you know that? Is that why you haven't gone to Ikebukuro?" She asked.

Well, she had suspected another reason why Izaya hadn't gone to Ikebukuro, but now she was sure that Izaya didn't know about the picture. Thank god.

"Oh, no. This week, as weird as it sounds, I didn't have any appointments with any clients from Ikebukuro. But never mind that. I know that Shizu-chan isn’t here but on a trip because **I am an information broker!** " He yelled the last line and spread his arms.

"And yet I don't know what is happening in Ikebukuro or who the person is that blackmails my playthings. But I will find out. Oh, I will~ Don't worry about that!" He declared and looked at her with his trademark smirk.

That made Namie uneasy.

So she changed the topic. "When will Kida come next?"

"Oh, _Kida-kun_. Tomorrow, I think. His girlfriend and he had a week off, as I remember . Is that true secretary? Or are you afraid of my doings?"

"Fucking irritated not afraid, you bastard! You’ll be afraid when someone pushes you off a building and you splatter to the ground!" She yelled angrily wanting the conversation to end.

But before Izaya replied, she noticed something. Izaya had flinched. Over what she had said. Was he afraid of that? Falling? Or he had seen something splatter to the ground and he had remembered that image.

No. Even though Izaya was the biggest asshole she had met, she knew that he wouldn't kill anyone. He was only playing. Not killing. He didn’t have the guts, or more specifically the will, to do something like that. Izaya loved his humans. He didn't kill them.

So why had Izaya flinched at that? Had he experienced something like that? No?!

He was too proud to admit it anyway.

"Maybe then you’ll find the paycheck you wish." He said with a calm tone.

 _Dear God_. She would kill him!

But before she could answer, something vibrated. A phone. One of Izaya's phones. But this one was in one of the library's shelves. She watched it vibrated while wondering which phone that was. For what purpose.

Izaya, meanwhile, went to it and opened it. He read something and stared at it. A message. What happened next was unexpected.

Izaya's smirk completely disappeared and he glared at his phone. His eyebrows slightly furrowed and his mouth grimaced. He was looking frustrated but also...sad! Namie was frozen. Now, she felt weird and maybe afraid.

Izaya snapped his phone closed and moved towards the door. He donned his trademark coat and, while he still held that expression on his face, he said in a really disturbingly calm tone.

"Namie, you are free to go. Lock the door behind you."

Then he just left. Izaya had never asked her to lock the door before had never let her go home with so much work left. He never looked so furious, while at the same time his eyes looked sad. Izaya never just left like that without replying to his text first. He always wanted to have the last word.

But then Namie understood why he was acting so weird.

That _phone_.

It was his _personal phone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did those boys hold down Celty's horse?  
> So, who texted Izaya?  
> See you in the next Chapter!!!!


	4. Personal Phone Number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Guys!!!  
> I am back! This Chapter come better than the previous one. I am happy how it turn.  
> Also, i still looking for a Beta-reader. Please message me if anyone wants to. Here or my tumblr.  
> If this chapter has some mistakes, please tell me. I am not a native spaker.  
> But, shall we begin?

_"HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT?"_

"60,000 yen."

_"FOR A BROKEN BONE?"_

"No. For a broken bone that needed to be set, two other broken bones that were set wrong. Three stitches in the head and a broken nose. Oh, and also for my visit."

"I am not _PAYING SO MUCH MONEY! I DON'T EVEN HAVE SO MUCH!"_

"Then you should have gone to areal hospital and not a black market doctor."

"I...can't."

"Right so, give me a name, phone number, and 10,000 yen in advance...Okay. Thank you. And before you think that you can escape without paying me then let me assure you, you're wrong. I have a few tricks up my sleeve too."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, like the black ride–"

"No, fuck! Here's 20,000 yen and I will get the rest. But please don't send the black rider!"

Shinra smiled and took the money. "As you ask. Don't delay with my money! I want it ASAP. I will give you two months." He said and left the house.

Well, today was a busy day. That guy was the fifth patient he had visited. And from his clothes (everything yellow), he could tell that he was one of the guys Celty had fought yesterday. Oh, Celty.

He remembered how she had come yesterday. It was dark when she returned. He hadn't noticed how late it had gotten, the time had flown by, but he was glad that Celty was home. He had been busy with work all day.. It was weird and unusual for Shinra. He didn't normally have so many customers, not to mention people who managed to find him.

He was curious. It was a fact. All his patients had been wearing yellow clothes. So, they should be yellow scarves. But their faces weren't familiar so...fake members? They didn't want to reveal their true identities so they had worn the gang's color. Or maybe not. He knew from Celty that Masaomi had given up the gang and had moved on. So, who were these people?

Also, thank god that he was a doctor because he had managed to notice something. When he fixed his patients, he noticed many things about their personality. That's why he knew these people weren't the yellow scarves. When the real gang came to be fixed he saw pain and often anger. A spark that the youths had.

But those he had treated these past days...somehow had a tolerance to pain. Sure, they showed pain and agony but that spark just wasn't there. Their actions weren't like the gang. He detected annoyance and also...a different dialect. Their mumbles weren't in Japanese. Even the simple groans of pain weren't pronounced like a Japanese person's. So, Celty was right.

Celty had come and hugged him. He was so happy he felt like he was flying in the clouds! But the moment was cut short when Celty wrote that she wanted to talk with him. After she caught him up and he gave his opinion on the situation, Celty surprised him. She was afraid. He could see that.

Shinra sighed. He walked away from the crowd towards the road that went to Ikebukuro. These yellow people had pinned down Celty's horse. When she told him that she hadn't seen anything that held her horse down, he had frowned. Those bastards. They had scared his beloved Celty. He had hugged her and told her that everything was okay. Then he lost his tongue as a punch to his stomach brought him back to reality.

He fell down and complained that Celty was a total tsundere girl, so she hit him again. After that an idea occurred to him. He asked if she had seen anything suspicious that might have caused it. Celty replied that she managed to find a broken bottle after Anri smashed it over one of the boy's heads. Shinra had noted it down. Maybe it was a potion to stop dullahans? Or maybe an anti-matter liquid that stopped the movement of her shadows? Or...or...or. There were so many possibilities.

Well, that's why he had agreed to meet and visit those guys. He wanted to see if he could find anything at their house. Anything out of the ordinary. Or at least another bottle. That would be enough. But he'd found nothing so far. But he still had one appointment.

He was optimistic.

Shinra adjusted his glasses. He needed to help Celty. He didn't want her to be sad. It was his duty to make her happy and also his wife but that was for another time.

If he couldn't find anything himself then...he'd find out the old fashioned way. _His friend. Izaya._

That fucking dark guy, as he called him. He'd know something about this or he would find out.

That idiot. Even when he wasn't there, he could make everyone's life a mess. He closed his eyes and waited for the crossing light to turn green. Those photos.

Why couldn't he unsee those photos? How hadn't he known about that? He was steadily becoming more and more curious about those photos. Those weren't the friends he knew. That latest photo had shown a side to Izaya that he's never seen.

He knew Izaya. For fuck sake, he was his friend. But that gesture wasn't him. He refused to believe something like that. Not that he was disgusted.

No, no, no. He was somehow relieved because he had managed to make a connection between those two. He was finally looking at what he thought was lost after their first encounter. A friendship. And yet that picture felt so wrong. Even with the fallen petals he refused, no, he demanded that the gesture that everyone thought was happening was not the case.

Well, he wasn't the only one that thought so. Everyone refused to believe that those boys were their famous duo. And everyone (including himself) thought that the picture had been cut on purpose so they couldn't see what Izaya was holding. But that anon hadn't said anything. At least not yet.

They were lucky that Izaya hadn't found that website _yet_. Or Shizuo for that matter. They'd be screwed for sure. They were _very_ lucky. He knew Ikebukuro would fall once his friends found out about these pictures. The thing that bothered him most was how had Shizuo and Izaya not noticed someone taking pictures? Did they take those pictures?

No. Izaya wouldn't make himself look so stupid. He wanted to be shown as the villain that everyone knew. A _bastard._ And also that last action wasn't an _Izaya move_. So...no. Not Shizuo either. He doesn't want to be in the spotlight, not like Izaya does. So, who uploaded those pictures? Did he know them? Has he met them before? Or was it someone from the underground? Or a new student that he hadn't met before he left Raijin.

Shinra smiled. Finally, he was back in Ikebukuro. So in two blocks he'd reach the sixth guy's location. This guy had an appointment with another person who had called Shinra to met him there.

Shizuo. Shizuo had come back today.

Celty was so happy that she was glowing. After punching Shinra for holding her longer than usual, she had gone to meet him. Sure, he should be thankful towards Shizuo for making his soon-to-be wife happy. But if he thought that Shizuo could take her away from him, well...hahahaha.

But no. Those photos showed an expression that Shinra didn't see on Shizuo's face very often. And after Celty found those photos too (he didn't know that she had already found them) then she would agree. Shizuo's eyes were...not angry. Not sad.

They were somehow annoyed(like usual) but also..?

_Happy._

He shook his head. He couldn't think about anything else (apart from Celty, of course). Shizuo was happy, not sad or angry. It was an emotion that made Shinra question his friendship with him.

He'd never seen him with such a happy expression before.

Shinra realised he had stopped. He didn't know for how long but his legs weren't listening to him. God, he was so dumbfounded by this.

Suddenly, he heard a yell. The yell was familiar though. Everyone turned towards that sound and Shinra knew why he had stopped.

_To protect himself._

A body flew up into the air. Ha, classic Shizuo.

Shizuo was back. And there was the problem.

How long would those pictures remain a secret?

**-xxx-**

"Senpai, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok."

"Negative. You are somewhere else. Your thinking is elsewhere and not in our current situation Senpai."

"...what?"

"Shizuo, I believe she means you are in your own world. You are not present in this moment."

"Oh, really? I'm sorry Tom-senpai."

"It's ok."

"You are not focused on our situation and your movements are slow and forgotten."

Shizuo heard Vorona and looked at her, clearly not understanding what she'd just said. But before Tom said anything, Shizuo asked.

"...are you calling me 'rusty'?"

Tom opened his mouth. Wow, how had Shizuo understood that? He hadn't understood what the girl had just said but Shizuo...

"Probably... Negative. _Controlled._ " Vorona finally told him after figuring what the right word was.

"... _Controlled?_ "

"Yeah, that's right. We've visited four guys this morning and yet you haven't hit anyone. I'm impressed." Tom declared with a smile.

Shizuo looked at him. _Well, he hasn't found out about those pictures yet_ , Tom thought while Shizuo looked at him in surprise.

"As I previously said, you are controlled but your mind is occupied with something else. That's why you aren't here and don't pay attention." Vorona added while moving forward.

Tom looked at his watch. Well, he had four more customers today. One of them was in Ikebukuro so that's where they were going now. But what Vorona had said caught Tom's attention.

"What are you thinking? I thought that trip helped you relax as you said. But you look tired. Did something happen when you came here? Or did...your friend say something to you?"

Tom said without thinking. Well, for the first question, he was more confident. Maybe, he saw something or maybe _someone_. That's why his thoughts led him to his second question. He thought and prayed that he hadn't heard about the pictures. But, from the way Shizuo was behaving, Tom was sure that he hadn't heard about them.

he stares from the people that they passed were a sign. But this was Shizuo so...he was used to that attention. He was the fortissimo after all. But when he'd picked Shizuo, he was like this. He was told that Shizuo had met with Celty in a cafe when he had arrived at the airport...maybe.

.

.

.

He was super quiet.

Although Shizuo looked at him, he didn't say anything. He opened his mouth a couple of times, but afterwards he always closed it. Clearly, he was debating if he should or shouldn't say what he was thinking. After a while, he looked down at his moving feet and said quietly.

"...Nothing. Everything is ok."

But Tom knew Shizuo. He was lying. Something big was eating at him. Did something bad happen at this job he had? Did he meet someone?

No, he was looking distressed. So it was a problem. Not a situation.

A _personal_ problem, maybe?

 _Not now Tom. Ask him later,_ Tom thought and moved towards the location of their next client. He found the road's name they were in. Wow, their destination was in the next turn.

So, when they turned and walked towards a big square, he called their client. He noticed when Shizuo focused on something.

_Or not?_

Maybe the looks they were getting from the people around them were driving him crazy.

But he didn't miss when Shizuo moved his head and sniffed the air. He turned and found their client. Tom shouted and that person turned. He smiled and walked towards them.

But before Tom said anything, something moved at the speed of light and his client...

_Flew away._

People gasped, some screamed and others ran away. He slapped his forehead.

The old-fashioned Shizuo was back.

He mumbled a welcome back while moving towards Shizuo. He was looking furious about something.

"What the heck Shizuo? He didn't even say anything! He just walked towards us!" He shouted while Shizuo put his glasses in his jacket.

"Vorona, help." Tom said.

"Isn't that the client Shizuo punched last week?" Vorona questioned, totally ignoring her boss. Tom turned and looked at the lying man.

...yep. It was **him**. But…

"Yeah, okay Shizuo but he didn't..." He started but he was talking to empty air.

Shizuo had moved towards the man he'd hit and after observing him for a while he suddenly punched a sign.

"The person we passed our time with, is back again." Vorona stated while watching her senpai.

Tom let out a sigh. "Yeah. But why did he punch a man that hadn't said anything at all? And why hadn't he punched the others like you did when they moved too far?" He asked Vorona

"...I don't have any theories about the thinking of our partner." She replied, clearly confused like her boss.

"Finally, some action!" Someone said and Tom turned.

Behind him was a familiar van. Well, Kadota's gang was here. He came closer to them and let Erika continue with her statement.

"It was so boring. Finally, we have Shizu-chan ba...is he punching a wall?" Erika pointed at Shizuo.

"Yeah. He just punched someone and now he's probably letting his anger out on the wall." Tom said.

"Yeah, we saw a man flying. Finally! You have no idea how we missed Shizu-chan, not after..." Walker covered Erika's mouth.

" **NO**! Erika, he will hear us and I don't want _a bad ending or game over_." Walker cried while Kadota talked with Tom.

"So, where is the guy?"

"Oh, he's inside that alley. He managed to hit him into there. When I saw him I noticed it was one of the men that had made Shizuo angry before. But this time he punched him without reason."

"Really? That's strange. He usually has a reason before he hits someone. Did he.."

"No, no. He paid us before and he hasn't had any past incidents with this man. Well, I believe so...I don't know why this person made Shizuo so angry."

"No reason at all? Sorry, I heard you talking so...Hello, Kadota-san and Tom-san." Shinra appeared and smiled at the two men.

"Yeah. He just punched them." Kadota answered.

"...I'm dumbfounded. I must say."

"Do you have an appointment with one of your patients today?" Kadota said and pointed to Shinra's bag.

"Yeah, I have. And I believe the last one was the man Shizuo just punched... where is he?" He asked.

"In that alley but I would wait for Shizuo to calm down a bit. Wow, he's as furious as when he sees Izaya." Tom stated.

All men agreed. In the meantime, Shizuo had gone inside the alley and Vorona had walked towards the van.

"...oh, really? Was it truly Shizuo-san? Wow, Celty-san was right!" Another voice echoed from behind.

Tom spun around and saw a blond kid talking with Erika.

"Yo, Kida. What are you doing here?" Kadota asked the blond.

Kida looked at Kadota and put his hands behind his head. "I'm going to...work. But I saw someone flying and thought it was Shizuo-san."

"Well, you were right. Shizuo-san just launched someone into the air. But why did you mention my Celty's name?" Shinra required.

"Oh, she said that Shizuo-san would come back today and look at that. Here he is."

"I must say that we are all surprised by Shizuo's arrival." Shinra added.

"Yeah, but all I can think now is...if." Kida spoke while coming towards them.

"Is that what I think it is?" Kida asked and pointed at the van's bumper.

Kadota laughed and nodded. "Yes, it is Ruri Hijiribe. Togusa's idol. Well, yesterday..."

After he finished his story, Shinra said, "So, he got a used one and painted on his idol?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

Erika was talking now with Vorona and Walker facepalmed sometimes probably at what Erika was saying to the Russian. Kida and the others were just watching the alley when finally Shizuo came out, still without his sunglasses on. He stopped when his eyes caught sight of Kida and moved back inside the alley.

But before anyone asked what had happened, Shizuo reappeared again dragging the man's body with him. He dropped it in front of them and after he paused to light a cigarette, he started talking.

"You're the leader of the yellow scarves, right?"

Kida, surprised from the question and probably shocked, nodded.

Shizuo nodded too, calmly. Kida let out his breath. Everyone had stopped talking, including Erika who just smiled and looked at Shizuo. Ready to burst, probably.

"Do you know this man?" Shizuo finally asked.

Kida looked down. He scratched his chin in thought and shook his head, finally getting what Shizuo was asking.

The man was wearing his gang color.

"Probably. Maybe one of the new ones that got inside."

Shizuo frowned and nodded. Why did he want to know? Kida crouched and took off the scarf and looked at his face.

"Oh, wait!" He smirked. "I do know him."

Then, Shizuo started frowning more and mumbling 'I hit the wrong man'.

...

_What?_

But Kida continued. "Yeah, I met him yesterday. He isn't in my gang. He's using my gang's color."

Shizuo turned in surprise and listened to him.

"Yeah, he was speaking another language with his other partners." Kida added, sitting up and glancing at Shizuo.

"But he didn't know me. Meaning that he was using my gang's color without knowing that there was another gang with that color."

Shizuo...just stared at him. He had dropped his cigarette and now his hands were inside his pockets. Erika dropped her smile. She knew that look. She had seen it before... _in the last picture_!

She searched her phone and found the picture. Yeah, it was that pose. So, he looked surprised in the picture. So, what was happening inside the picture wasn't what she'd thought.

Shizuo looked surprised probably from the words being said and not from the action. So, as the others had said, Izaya was holding something different.

Not a love letter.

She cursed mentally. Her OTP was falling apart again. Now that she looked at the photo, Izaya wasn't blushing or nor was Shizuo for that matter. She closed her phone. _**Now what**_?

Suddenly after the long awkward silence, Shizuo took out his phone, clicked something and said to Tom that he would take the day off because he didn't feel okay. Tom agreed but Shizuo had already left while still writing a text to someone.

Everyone just stared after him and then Vorona killed the silence.

"Tom-senpai, don't we need Shizuo-senpai to finish our tasks?"

"No. We can handle them ourselves. But now that you mention it, we should be going." He answered and said goodbye.

"Well, I should be going too. I need to go to work." Kida added and left too.

"Well, how about we go and buy some lunch to treat ourselves? My treat." Kadota asked and everyone agreed.

"Sure. Either way, my client now needs a hospital...Celty~!" Shinra shouted as he caught sight of a black silhouette.

"Celty, my love, my wife! How are you? Okay? Did you pass from here to see your amazing love...aahhh, Celty no!" Celty had punched Shinra in the stomach and continued to do so while tapping at her PDA.

Shinra stopped and read what she wrote.

"Oh no! I have just finished! I didn't stop my work to find your amazing bo...aahhh Celty that hurts!" Shinra screamed.

(Sorry. I just finished my job and was coming back when I saw a man flying. Shizuo's work, right?) She asked Kadota while she kept Shinra at bay.

"Yes. He left just now. I don't know why but..."

(Really? He was acting weird earlier, too.)

"Wow, well...how about we talk about this in Russian Sushi? At least in a safe location where no one can hear us."

(Sure, why not?)

**_-xxx-_ **

(So, you woke up earlier so you could visit those dangerous guys on your own!?) Celty tapped and not only showed her PDA to Shinra but pushed it on his face.

"Ouch...yeah..aieee...yeah I did! I remembered what you said about them and something was suspicious about them. You remembered a broken bottle so I went to find out if they had any but no such luck." Shinra breathed.

"So Celty, you don't know what held down your horse or better yet how they did it?"

When Celty nodded, Kadota continued.

"That bottle...did you see them use it?"

Celty shook her head.

"No. Well, I believe that _that_ bottle was there before the battle. Just a normal bottle. Unless you saw the label on it."

(No. I don't remember if it had a label on it...do you think that that bottle was just a background thing?)

"Probably. I don't see why they would leave behind something so useful, especially something that could stop a dullahan. Nor would they leave it for the public eye to see." Kadota turned and looked at Shinra.

He smiled and scratched his head. "Well, it was a chance. But now that you say it like that..." He was stopped by Celty.

(Of course! You could've been hurt. You **_IDIOT_**! I don't want to lose you to some bastards...) There were more sentences written but Shinra turned it away before finishing and hugged Celty.

"Oh sorry, my love! I will not do it again. Not now at least...ouch."

"Anyway, guys did you see Shizu-chan today? Finally, our city is back!" Erika cheered while Walker attempt to shut her up before another knife was thrown at them.

"Oi, yeah. He just punched the man into space." Togusa mumbled while he ate.

"Yeah, but he punched him without a reason. That is not Shizuo's way. And also Celty just told us that she saw him earlier. Isn't that weird? We haven't seen anything else flying. Only this dude. And I don't think it's a coincidence that he was wearing yellow clothes." Walker stated and everyone stopped.

"That's true. Celty, did that trip relax him so much that he didn't feel the need to punch anyone in the face?" Kadota asked.

(No.) She tapped and continued.

(He was angrier than before. We met at the cafe and I saw that he must've already gone to his house and left his stuff there. He wasn't carrying anything. He told me that the job was finished in the first few days but he stayed because they had agreed with his boss that he would stay there for a week. So, you'd presume a person would've been relaxed. But Shizuo wasn't.

Maybe something happened to the airplane or maybe at the airport. Maybe he saw someone.) She stopped and everyone understood that she was referring to Izaya.

(But when I asked him, he told me that everything was fine. That the trip was okay. But his face was starting to get angrier by the second. Also, he was looking around a lot. Like he was searching for something.)

"Or someone." Shinra spoke.

"You think he was searching for Izaya?"

"No, Erika-chan. I think he was searching for the person he punched. When he was with his boss, as Tom told me, he wasn't paying attention to them. He didn't speak or do anything. But when they met that man, he just punched him. Without him doing anything to provoke Shizuo."

"And when he got the answer he wanted from Kida-kun, he just left without a reason." A voice interrupted them.

Everyone turned and saw Tom leaning against the wall.

"Sorry, I overheard you talking about Shizuo and I noticed his strange behavior too."

"Ah, Tom-san would you like to join us? Did you finish your job?" Kadota smiled and tapped the seat near him.

"Ah, thank you. I'm starving. And yes we finished our tasks. Vorona just left and I thought about getting lunch, so..." He smiled and sat down.

"But anyway. Now that you mention it Shizuo was _searching_ for someone."

(Did you have any yellow-worn clients except from the one Shizuo punched?)

Tom scratched his chin. "No, we haven't. But we passed several. So I don't think he was searching for him. He punched that dude last week."

(Did he wear any yell...)

"Yeah. He wore it then too. But Shizuo was paying extra attention to him. Maybe he knew him."

"Or not. Did he see him first?"

"Oh...ah..yeah. I called that dude and told him that we were in the location he had chosen...Then Shizuo just walked off first and then stopped as I remember... Oh yeah, then that person typed something into his phone and then...bang!" He made a hand motion that signalled a punch.

"So maybe he punched him because he read what that man wrote?" Togusa stated.

"Yeah, but what was the meaning of those questions then?" Erika enquired and everyone paused.

"Maybe he read about something that was happening. A gang activity maybe? Or not. He left when Kida said that that person didn't know him."

"Yeah, Erika is right. And then he sent a text to someone." Walker continued.

"Oi...the phone." Tom yelled and stopped.

"What?"

"The phone. He broke his phone last week and as compensation, we gave him a new one. The latest model to be exact. But the phone he got out was a flip phone. An old model."

"So?" Togusa asked.

"No, no, no. He didn't buy a new one. I saw him using the new one earlier today. So my question is. What phone was that? Did it have a special number in it? And why did he text with that one and not with his new one?"

"Do you think that Shizuo is in a gang...no, wait" Erika slapped herself. "That's impossible. He hates gangs."

Tom nodded. "Since the first time I met him. But, from high school and after that he's hated them even more."

"Ha, I wonder why." Shinra mumbled

Everyone froze.

"Did anyone see Izaya?" Walker trembled.

"As Kida said, Izaya doesn't know about the pictures, so don't sweat it." Kadota stopped him.

"Yeah, but when he does find them then what? Dear god, who posted those photos. We are doomed."

No one disagreed.

Then Kadota remembered something. Something he wanted to ask Shinra.

"Oi, Shinra." He caught Shinra's attention and he stopped snuggling with Celty.

"Yeah, Kadota-kun?"

"Did you have any contact with Izaya or Shizuo when both of us left Raijin?"

He shook his head and continued hugging Celty. "After I went to the new school, I lost touch. Maybe because I had more stuff to do or because I had to move closer to that school. I didn't have any contact until...two years later...I think when I got the news."

"Oh, yeah. When Shizuo was in the prison."

Shinra stopped hugging Celty and moved his eyes towards Kadota.

"No." He said with a confused voice. "When Izaya was in the hospital."

Kadota froze. "What?"

"Yeah. Before you ask, Izaya has been in the hospital before and he doesn't only come to me. Second, I have heard about Shizuo being in prison but I don't know if that happened first or after the hospital incident. I got a call from a hospital, I don't remember the name right now, but anyway they called me to come as soon as possible. When I have asked why, they said that a friend of mine was there for four days and the last two he wouldn't cooperate with the doctors. So I went and found Izaya.

Alone inside a room with so many flowers in it. That would've surprised me if it wasn't for Izaya's face. When he noticed that I had entered the room he looked at me..." Shinra stopped and let his head fall down slightly .

"He was...broken. Sad. Angry. So many emotions that shouldn't describe Izaya. But his goddamned smirk was still on. He was smirking at me. But his eyes were so different that I just...couldn't. They said he was there because a building had fallen down on him. I didn't believe them then, nor do I now. After many conversations and so much persuasion, I managed to make him return to his treatment. It was...it was like he wanted to die." He stopped and locked his eyes dead on with Kadota's.

"The next news I got was when Shizuo came to my apartment. He had a damaged arm and so much blood on his clothes that I thought he'd jumped inside a barrel of blood. His arm wasn't broken but his muscles were...destroyed. Damaged beyond repair. But as the superhuman that he is, I managed to repair them."

"Wait..." Tom said after a long wait of silence.

"Did you say his muscles?"

" ...yes?"

"I know what day that was . It was maybe a month after Shizuo just started working with us. He was...now that you mention it. Quiet and collected. Calm, I must say. And then I saw a black silhouette. At first, i thought it was Celty but then when I looked again it was Izaya. He was standing at the opposite side of the road...just staring at Shizuo.

But he didn't talk. Oh no. He was staring at Shizuo like he wanted to burn holes in him. He had a sad smile on his face. Shizuo...didn't attack him. No. He just stared back for a long time and then before I said anything he walked towards Izaya. When he was a couple meters away...I think he talked to Izaya. But Izaya didn't answer. And then suddenly, there was a cutting sound that echoed in the streets and when I looked at the duo, Shizuo was still in the same place and Izaya had a knife in his hand. His hand was in the air and covered in blood, so much blood. Izaya's face was looking at the pavement.

Shizuo's arm started dripping blood and then after he touched it, he screamed so loud. Not from pain but anger. And after that, he chased him. Their typical chase."

"So after that their fights started. Think about it Kadota-kun. We hadn't heard of any fights between them when we were in high school." Walker observed.

"True. Or else we would've heard news of them." Shinra agreed.

(So, do you think that Izaya and Shizuo managed to become friends and then something happened for their relationship to roll away?)

"It is a possibility that we can agree on. Or maybe Erika found something about their relationship."

Erika frowned. "No, I haven't. My OTP slowly sinks."

"Wait. Erika, I haven't heard you talking or mumbling for several minutes. Did something cross your mind?" Kadota asked and waited for Erika to reply.

Erika opened her mouth and closed it.

"Yesterday, as I was walking home after a convention I had, I accidentally passed the building you fought at that morning. It was really late so there weren't any people there. So after I passed it, I heard some yells and screaming. Not for help or anything. A fight. So, as usual, I stood and eavesdropped behind one of the shop's trash cans on the road opposite the building's. Then because I heard the yells getting louder I... just panicked okay."

She made a fake heroic face and punched Walker when he started smirking.

"But anyway, was Shizuo's trip long?" She asked calmly.

(As I said, it was one week long and he returned back today.) Celty tapped and Tom nodded.

"Oh, ok. Anyway, after I heard the shouts getting quiet, I thought that the battle had stopped and decided to get out of my secret spot. But then a loud bang made me regret my choice and I hid behind it once again. When I turned to look at the building, I saw that the door was wide open, probably kicked open and in front of it was...Izaya. He was looking angry, furious. And then after some time of collecting himself, he just turned and left. So, I waited for the next person to come out. I wanted to see with whom Izaya was arguing with. And yes, I would've been surprised with Izaya's expression if it wasn't for what I saw next. Or better yet whom."

She stopped talking and looked at everyone with a serious face.

"I saw Shizuo."

**_-xxx-_ **

"My dear Saki! Where is your beloved boyfriend?~" Izaya sang as he continued furiously tapping the keyboard.

"On his way."

"Well, then tell your boyfriend if he continues to make me wait, I will make him pay~" He smirked.

Saki turned and looked at him. He was seriously focused on his task. Saki honestly believed if he continued writing so fast, he would burn down his keyboard. Wow. The last time she's seen Izaya typing this fast and be so focused was when the Saika incident happened. Kida was only late by several seconds.

And only because he was on a quest for information for Izaya. Kida had been late before. Why did Izaya want him so much today? Did he find something? Did he want to ask him something?

...

Was it about the Yellow Scarves? Or the people that wore yellow clothes? Did he want information from their ex-leader alone? If that's the case then why was Izaya searching on the Internet for the thing he wanted to ask?

Did he want to blackmail Kida? What the fuck did he want?

Maybe he was searching for the information he needed for today. Yeah, that's more likely. While Izaya continued his work, Saki stood up and went over to Namie. She positioned her smirk and whispered.

"Did he lose something?"

A fake question to start a serious conversation. Izaya taught her that. The perfect way to get information with minimum effort. The person was taken back by that question, their guard was down and they were more open to serious ones. And because Namie knew Izaya in a way, she would get what she wanted easily.

"His pawns. That's why he's grumpy. Don't question him." She looked up from her monitor and whispered back.

"His pawns? How?" Now Saki was taken back.

Namie nodded. "Someone is blackmailing his clients and really slowly he is losing his playthings. Or I think he is. He was like that when I got here."

"Did he..." She stopped and clasped her hands together.

But Namie understood. "Thank god no. We are fine... for now."

Saki nodded and relaxed. "So something happened yesterday?"

Namie's eyes widened. "Yes, well..." She told her what happened yesterday.

Namie wanted information on what happened yesterday and the only person who could provide them now was Saki as one of the people who knew Izaya better.

But when Saki's eyes got bigger and her smirk almost disappeared, it gave her a different answer.

"Really? I haven't seen him use it before. I always saw him charging it but never...wow. Do you think someone told him to meet up and after that, something happened that drove us in this position?" She pointed at Izaya.

Namie nodded. "After the text, he got more angry and bossy. He hasn't even insulted me. That makes me unsure though. Did he...did someone text him the photos and now he is trying to find out who it was?"

Saki shook her head. "If that had happened, then he wouldn't have left the room angrily. And I believe no one knows his personal phone number to text him the photos. Did you see it? It is one of the old models."

Namie nodded and glanced at Izaya. He was still tapping angrily at the keyboard and probably had forgotten the other occupants in the room.

"Yeah, true. But what the fuck? That bastard could have someone that cares about him and texted him those pictures. But omg, it his personal phone. I don't know with whom he talks and what contacts he has inside it." She almost yelled and hoped that Izaya hadn't heard her burst.

Fortunately, he had his head turned towards the windows and suddenly a flying body was shown in the background. She opened her mouth but then she heard a snort. She looked at Izaya and saw him, getting even angrier while still holding his smirk. Thank god that she could read his eyes. He then continued writing.

After some time, Izaya said.

"See? Shizu-chan is back."

"I can see that. But that was a flying body and not a flying vending machine."

Izaya snorted (so it was him who had snorted, interesting) "Vending machine, a man. The same thing."

"A man?" She asked.

How had Izaya known that the body was a man? All she could see was a dot flying and then falling.

Izaya didn't answer but this time he fully showed his trademark smirk. He then stood up and went to the table which had his game. He moved the king forward and hit the red queen so that it fell down. He also moved a soldier forward and let it fall down in front of the king. He then went back to his chair and continued writing.

"Because I'm an informant, that's why!" He sang with a different tone.

Namie let that slide. Did he send someone after Shizuo? Probably. That's why he had known whom that body belonged to. But then why did he sound so angry?

Suddenly, there was a buzzing sound. Namie turned and watched Izaya. One of his goddamn phones again. Izaya caught one of the ones which were on his desk.

...

His personal phone?

Did he have it there the whole time? She glanced at the library. There weren't any phones there. How hadn't she noticed the phone? She could've seen who was texting Izaya and making him angry. Or at least what that person had sent him.

Izaya read the text again. He looked at it for so long that she thought time had frozen. But before she could ask anything, he turned to his second monitor and, with his phone still in his hands, he typed something. But with the other monitor in front of the second one, she couldn't see what he was typing. From the face he was making, she guessed that something serious was happening.

He typed and typed and then another sound was heard. She turned and looked at the printer. But? Didn't Izaya find his client's information three days ago? So whose information was he printing now? Izaya took the papers and left them on his desk while he went to the library to grab an envelope which he put the papers inside.

He then used his personal phone, which hadn't left his hand, and texted something. The phone vibrated again and when Izaya's face clouded, she understood that the one who texted Izaya wasn't playing around.

He texted something back and shoved his phone inside his pocket. Oh, she understood what he was doing now.

"Oh, no. You bastard! You are not leaving when you have so many ap..."

"I have already given them their information."

"What?"

"Geez, woman~ I have already given them their information. Ah, yes, all of them. One hour before you came, I delivered it myself. Here, your paycheck." He smirked and gave her another envelope.

She opened it and as he claimed there was money inside it.

"Why?" Namie asked.

"Why you ask? Well, as you saw I have something planned to do today. Life doesn't always go as you want it to." He smirked and moved to his desk.

"Like yours. Your brother is with another bit..."

"Goddammit! Shut up!" She yelled at him and pushed the envelope on her desk with so much strength that the sound it made echoed through the house.

He smirked and jumped towards the sofa.

"Melody to my ears~" He laughed.

But Saki knew that something serious was happening or better yet Izaya was going to meet someone important. That or he was afraid. That's why he was trying to make someone else miserable. That distracted him from the situation. But Saki was glad that the old Izaya was still present.

In the meantime, Izaya and Namie were talking (arguing and yelling) while Izaya put on his coat. Then, his face turned serious and with the envelope he had made several minutes ago (was he holding that the entire time he was arguing with Namie?) he went to the door.

But before he opened it, it was unlocked by none other than Kida. Kida jumped when he was met with Izaya's face but then he moved several meters away. With an awkward smile that showed more anger than regret, he spoke.

"I know that that I am lat..." But Izaya didn't let him finish his sentence.

He just pushed the envelope into Kida's chest and said.

"I don't care. Saki-chan will tell you the rest. Now, I want information on this person." He moved away from him and left the apartment.

Kida let him go and after several seconds he closed the door.

"Was I really that late to make him so angry?" He asked the two females.

"No someone texted him on his personal ph..." Saki started.

"What? Really? Wow, what happened to make him so furious? You two maybe didn't catch it but when he left the door, he was so irritated that I was sure he would punch me in the face." Kida laughed and opened the envelope.

"It was the second time, he got a text and yet again he left the same way. Angry. Who is that person who texts him?" Namie said aloud but she was just talking to herself.

"Yeah. Finally, the roles are reversed, aren't they?" Saki asked and both females laughed.

"Ha, finally. It is like now he has traded places with Heiwajima." She snorted.

"Oh wait! Do you think he is going to meet him?"

"Probably. Where else he would go?" Namie stopped and fell quiet. "But I still can't forget the pictures." She wondered after a while and touched her cheek.

Saki asked. "Do you think they had some kind of relationship? A...friendship?"

"Who knows? Maybe yes, maybe no." She stated.

Saki snorted. "Do...do you think that the one who texted Izaya is Shizuo-san?"

Namie laughed. "Oh...what...no!"

"...yes"

Both females turned at the forgotten male. Kida was still looking at the envelope.

"What?" Both females requested.

Kida looked at them. "Yes. I said that the person who texted Izaya was Shizuo-kun."

Saki and Namie shook their heads and one of them gasped.

"Kida..what are you saying?" Namie asked him.

Kida looked at the envelope again. "Either that or this is just a coincidence."

He then took out one of the pictures that the envelope had and showed it to the girls.

".?..yeah, and?" Both said.

Kida looked at them.

"In the photo, this man is hurt and lying on the pavement. He is wearing the same clothes he was wearing today. But near him is a van's bumper. But not just any van's bumper. It is a van I know very well. Kadota's van.

.

.

.

**This person is the one that Shizuo punched today.**

**And this picture was taken by Shizuo."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry guys.  
> We will have some action finally going on in the chapter!  
> See you then!


	5. The Aura

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone!!!!  
> Long time no see!!! Finally I have some news to share with you!!! Here is the new chapter!  
> Some questions will be answered, others will appear but this is the purpose of the fic. Untill we get in our duos POV, we will have to quess what happened or will happen. And untill then we have some time.  
> But I have more news to share with you!! I have a beta-reader now!!! Isn't that great!  
> My beta is SareBear96 and she also has a AO3. You should check her work too!  
> A huge thanks to her for help me edit this fic.  
> But anyway, let's begin!!!

**_Fucking bastard! That bastard! I’ll kill him!_ **

....

**_When I find him...I’ll end him!!!_ **

  Kida thought while walking down one of the busiest roads in Ikebukuro. He glanced around. Everyone, as far as he could tell, had some kind of work to do. Yet he was stuck looking for his fucking boss. He frowned and sat on one of the benches in the square.

  Kida held his head.   **_God, where is he?_ ** He wondered. He’d found what Izaya was looking for.

Ren Katumi. He was a really wealthy person. A doctor. A black market doctor, to be precise. Like Shinra. He’d borrowed some money from Shizuo's company and had paid them back just like he was supposed to. But Shizuo still hit him and sent him to the hospital.

  What frustrated him was that the man had made an appointment to meet with Tom's team again . When Kida asked Tom why the man wanted to meet him again after he’d already paid back all the money, Tom had just shrugged. He hadn't known why he wanted to meet them again. The only thing that Tom knew was that he had more money to give back. Or so he’d thought.

 Three days ago when Shizuo sent Ren into the sky, Tom believed that he only wanted that thing. But two days ago, Tom told him, the money that Ren borrowed  had all been returned. Kida scratched his head. Why did Ren want to meet Tom again?

  The chick who was with Tom mentioned the incident last week. So, Ren, as the blonde said, knew Shizuo. Or vice versa. If the way Shizuo was paying attention to Ren was any sort of clue. 

  Also, what did Shizuo do to that man when he was in the alley? And, why did he wear his colors? These were the questions he wanted answered the most.

 Shizuo.

 Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen the fortissimo lately. Maybe he had taken that time off Tom suggested. Well, he knew that Shizuo and Izaya were talking via those old phones. So, maybe they were together somewhere.

  Did they find the photos? Or something related to these guys wearing his gang's color? Did they run away?

 No, no, no. When he’d found enough information on the guy as Izaya wanted, he had gone to his office. But Izaya was nowhere to be found. Namie said that he was in his office that morning but had disappeared since.

 This kept happening. One moment he was in the office and then he was elsewhere. He was always gone when Kida was looking for him. God! Why couldn’t he just email him the information? Or at least leave the files in his office?

...

 Kida couldn't, that's why. He’d gotten a message from Izaya telling him that he wanted the information delivered to him personally.

  Kida squinted at the sun. That guy...must be really important to Izaya and Shizuo. Otherwise why would BOTH of them want information on him?

  Did Ren do something? Maybe he murdered someone special?

  Was he even important? He was just a normal guy with a really good job.

...

  Was Ren connected to someone else? Someone more interesting? More personal?

  Bastard.

  Kida perused the information he had collected.

  25 years old.... The same age as that bastard... Maybe? Maybe was he the one that had posted the photos?

  Nah. If he was Izaya wouldn't have asked for information. He would’ve gone and dealt with him.

 Maybe was he the one blackmailing Izaya's clients?...no. Then why Shizuo would want information on him too?

  'Ren was educated at Raijin Academy in Ikebukuro. He studied to become a doctor, which he accomplished, but became an underground one. Last week he was sent to the hospital due to a fight he picked with Shizuo Heiwajima. He is still inside...'

 Kida scrolled through the pages until his eyes caught what had made him question that guy.

  '...When Ren was school, he usually spent his time in a gang. The gang’s name was unknown. But it was dangerous and one of the strongest in Ikebukuro. It was so strong that the other gang that coexisted at the time, 'Blue Squares', were always crushed by it. The gang really often picked fights with Heiwajima Shizuo, for unknown reasons, but were always defeated by him. Allegedly, the gang disappeared overnight due to an unlucky incident. Details on this incident are still unknown....'

  ...

 That's why Shizuo was looking at Ren last week. He must have remembered him. That's why he was punched and sent to the hospital.

  Well, at least the reason why Shizuo first punched him was solved. But why had he punched him the second time? Shizuo didn't have any reason to hit him, or as Tom told him.

  Maybe, Shizuo remembered the gang's name? All he needed was the name and Kida could find the rest. But if he did so, hahaha...where would his body be found? Shizuo had punched Ren just because he remembered him being inside the gang. What would happen to him if he mentioned that gang and Ren's name?

  Kida stopped walking. When had he even started walking? He couldn't tell. And why had he stopped?

 "Kida-kun!"  Someone called for him. A woman's voice and kinda energetic, too.

  Kida followed the sound and frowned. Great! The Orihara twins. How could he find Izaya's sisters and not him? Bastard, he drove him crazy.

  Meanwhile, he smiled and waved his hand to show that he’d heard Mairu screaming his name. He quickly closed the envelope and hid it inside his jacket.

  "Oh~ Look who’s here? Ikebukuro’s  favorite twins!"

  "Really? Where are they? I don't think they are as fantastic as us, eh Kururi?"  Mairu approached Kida and expressively gestured her hands as she spoke.

  "Us. (We are the twins.)"  Kururi said quietly, holding her sister's still moving hands.

  "OMG, Kururi! Play along! OMG!"  Mairu literally screamed at her and Kuriri hit her hand making Mairu yell.

  "Loud. (You are so loud.)"

  "Ah, Kururi! That hurts. You are so harsh~!"

  "As I can see, you’re doing fine."  Kida smiled politely.

 Mairu stopped rubbing her arm and hugged her sister.

 "Oh, yes! We’ve just finished our karate lesson and decided to take a walk around."

 "Around."

 "Yes, Kururi is right. We were walking when suddenly it hit us. Why not come here to see it in person!"  She told him, gesturing around.

  "What are you referring to?"  Kida pointed, totally confused.

  "Building. (We came for the building as you did too.)" Kururi whispered and pointed to something behind Kida.

  Kida turned to look at the building behind him. Of course. That's where his legs had brought him. In the building that he, Anri and Celty had fought the gang that wore his color.

 The abandoned building.

 Then he remembered. That wasn't the only reason why his gut brought him here. It was because of that picture.

  The new photo that had been posted  on the Dollar's website two days ago.

  In the photo, Izaya and Shizuo were sitting on one of the benches that used to be in front of the building. Both of them looked up at the night sky. Izaya wore a different jacket and Shizuo was wearing a black jacket. They...were sitting a little too close to each other. But as people had pointed out, there were some papers in their laps so that's why the duo was so close. But that led to the next question. What did those papers contain?

  The building behind them, at first glance, was the one they had fought in front of a few days ago. In other words, the abandoned building. But in the picture, it was still active. The lights were on, people were seen both inside and outside.

  That's why he was here. The building was both inside his thoughts and in his work. But he had found absolutely nothing from it. Only that it was an office and it was new compared to the others. He had searched and searched but no such luck. Kida found nothing. He wanted to know more and he knew the only ones who knew about this building were the two people that everyone now avoided.

  He refocused on the present and noticed Mairu talking. Probably at him but he hadn't heard anything. Kururi was looking at the building and totally ignoring her sister as well.

...

  Wait! Maybe the sisters knew about this building. They lived here, as he remembered, with their brother until he found his own apartment. They were living in Ikebukuro too, so....

  "Do you know this building?"  Kida asked, eyeing them carefully.

  Mairu stopped talking and focused on Kida.

  "Yes. (We know this building.)"

  "Yeah as Kururi said! That building was an office of some sort...that's probably why it’s abandoned now. As I recall, it was only designed to be an office building and nothing else. We always passed this building when we were younger. Lots of people passed here and entered it."

  "Brother. (We passed this building with our brother every day on our way to school.) Entered.  (He often entered it. Probably for work.)  Maybe not."

  "Yeah, I agree with Kururi. We often stopped here and waited on one of the benches until Iza-nii returned. Now that I remember, he often came out angrier than before. He was just doing his job but what confused me most was why Iza-nii always came here. Back then, I thought the job he had was so demanding. Well maybe because I didn't know what job he did but now...it’s still a mystery."

  "Injured."  Kururi whispered.

  Mairu stopped talking and stared at Kururi. Kida did the same thing .

  "When did you see Iza-nii injured? I don't recall seeing..."  Mairu started but her sister interrupted her.

  "Every day. (Every day, he came out of that building.) Injured. (He often had some bruises or cuts.)  Outside. (That's why he made us wait outside and told us never to enter the building)"

  "I...wow. You’re right. I do recall that. That's why he came out angrier. A fight maybe? Blackmail? Nah, this is our brother we’re talking about..." Mairu started laughing and Kururi copied her.

 Kida although he had heard what the twins were saying, had approached the building door. It was full of dust and had become rusted over the years. But there were clues that the building had been opened recently.  Kida looked at the windows. There were all closed with slates of wood. He wanted so much to enter it to see exactly what  this building was hiding but...he couldn't.

  Maybe because of the eerie atmosphere that the building was giving off. Maybe because of that big stain in the alley. Or maybe because his gut was telling him not to enter.

  Kida frowned. He went to the nearest window and peered inside. It was difficult but he managed to see some desks, stairs and an elevator.

  "See? I told you that this building was an office once. Look at that desk. It’s definitely a reception."  A voice startled him and he turned towards it.

  Fuck, the twins! They must’ve noticed that his attention was elsewhere and followed him.

  "Fuck! Wow, okay! You don't need to yell right in my ears!"  Kida yelled back and Mairu smiled.

  "Never pay attention to something else when a lady is talking to you."

  "What lady? I can't see her."  Kida challenged.

  But Mairu just smirked at him while Kururi took pictures of the building.

  "Do you think that Izaya and Shizuo were friends?"  Mairu asked and stared at him.

  "What..um..I think so. Did you see the photos? Wait...do you – ?"  Kida mumbled, partly because he was taken back by how Mairu had pronounced their names.

  Fuck of course! They were Izaya’s sisters. Of course, they’d know something about this situation. Maybe more. He was dumb, he knew that. And judging from Mairu's smirk, she definitely knew something. Kida scratched his head.

  But maybe they didn't. Why would they come to the building if not to find clues? Something that proved that the duo were friends. True friends.

  But Mairu had started laughing and approached Kida.  "If we knew something about this Kida-kun, we wouldn't search for evidence. Or information. You know...for personal reasons. But what surprises me is that you’re here. Why? Do you want to f...."  She was cut by her sister's hand.

  "No...what..wait. Are you saying...?"  Then it was Kida’s turn to laugh.   "I’m on a mission. Your fucking brother's mission. He wants information on a certain guy. But I was so distracted that I didn't notice where I was going until I arrived here."

  Mairu snorted.  "Well, I see you’re as confused as us and the rest of the city."  She stopped and stared at the building.

  Kida did too and the three of them were silent all lost in their own thoughts.

  "Photos?"  Kururi said after a while, surprising the other two.

  Kururi waited for Mairu to elaborate as usual, but her face showed that she didn't understand what her sister meant. So, Kururi repeated.

  "Photos?"

  "Yeah? What about them?"  Kida asked.

  Kururi pointed to a sign and then her phone.  "Photos."

She then gestured to the building.  "New photo."

  Mairu gasped and nodded. After a while, Kida shook her impatiently and Mauri started talking.

  "Wait! Goddamnit! I’m trying to find the proper way to say it! Geez... Kururi said that the previous photo we got was always addressed at Iza-nii and Shizuo-san. But the new photo wasn’t pointing at what Iza-nii was doing but the opposite. It showed the building. That person wanted to show something, but what?"  Mairu finished and Kida's eyes widened.

  Did that person...know about the fight? Did they want to point that out? Or were they trying to show the gang activity? Of his gang? His colors? Did they want revenge? If that was the case then why choose a photo that showed the duo? If they wanted to show what had happened here four days ago then they would’ve found another way to do so.

  Were they...were they the leader of that gang? That wore his colors? Those guys he found had said something about moving up. Maybe they were playing with him? But who?

  No...there was no way. That picture was posted to show Izaya and Shizuo. But what role did the building play?  Was it guiding Kida to find what happened to it? What caused it to close? Why it was abandoned?

  Or was it guiding him to investigate what that stain was on the ground?

  "You’re wondering why that building closed, right?"  Mairu shook him from his thoughts.  "Well, I can tell you that it closed when we were still in the kindergarten."  She told him and moved towards her sister.

  "The week?"  Kururi wondered and Mairu let her head fall on her sister's shoulder.

"Maybe. You think that he did it?"  Mairu asked her sister and she got a frown in reply.

"What week?"  Kida asked, clearly wanting to enter the conversation.

Mairu stopped and collected her thoughts before she spoke.

 "We remembered a week that Iza-nii disappeared and then he reappeared again. We don't know why he’d gone or where he went. But after one week, that we spent at a friend’s house, he came back. He was really tired. We remember he had some bandages  wrapped around him. Everywhere. His eyes were weary and even his attitude was quiet. Something must’ve happened to make him so quiet. After he got us and took us home, he stayed there for a week. We managed to see that he’d been seriously injured in several places.

During that time he slept nearly every day. Iza-nii never sleeps that much, but that week he was really exhausted. Sometimes he left home, but he’d always return even more bitter and unhappy. We tried to cheer him up but nothing helped. Then one day he answered a phone call, left the house and was his usual self again. Afterwards, when he took us to school the next morning, we passed that building. We asked him why he didn't go inside and he replied that his work was done in a really happy voice."  Mairu stopped and watched Kida.

  "So you believe that when Izaya disappeared it was because he found a way to close this building?"

  "Probably. Think about it. He always came out of it with bruises and then, after one week of disappearance, the building suddenly closed? It can’t be a coincidence!"  She yelled and hugged her sister harder.

  Until the pepper spray touched her eyes.

  "Ahhhahha."  Mairu yelled and thrashed around holding her face.

  Kururi whispered. "Warning. (I’ve warned you!)"

Kida smiled at the twins’ antics. Well, that story must mean something, right? Izaya must be involved with this incident too. Well, from the way the twins described it, he was sure that Izaya must’ve closed the business. But why was he covered in bruises? Izaya wouldn't battle anyone without his knives. He always had them on him. Also he’s really good at avoiding hits. So why?

  That’s what didn't click. Izaya would’ve found a way to blackmail and destroy that business with information. He wouldn't go and pick a fight. That wasn't his style. So, the question remained.

  Why was that building closed? And how?

 "Ahhh...Kururi look! Don't hate me please...ah I won't do it again! Thanks! Now, look...no! Look behind you!"  Mairu spoke furiously and pointed behind her sister's back.

  Kururi turned and Kida followed her gaze. Behind them were Tom and his team. Tom was talking and Vorona nodded occasionally in response to the conversation. Shizuo smoked as he walked up ahead, clearly not paying attention to the conversation.

  "Look! Shizuo-san is back!"  Mairu sang and Kururi agreed with a soft yes.

  "Back? He came back four days ago."  Kida disagreed, while Mauri waved her hand dismissively.

  "Yeah...yeah. He came back from that trip. But he took three days off. Maybe for sickness. I don't know. Kururi says that she saw him talking to Iza-nii five days ago and again three days ago."

  "What?"

  "Yeah, I know, Kida-kun. I’m also lost for words. See that cafe."  Mairu pointed and continued talking.  "Well, we were there four days ago and while I was texting with someone, Kururi saw Iza-nii enter that building. When she told me  I started wondering if his past issues had come back. So, while I was searching for information on my brother's doings, Kururi saw another person enter the building. We didn't know who it was at that moment, but the next day we met up with Erika-chan. She told us that she’d seen our brother and Shizuo-san leaving this building."

  "Angry."

 "Yes, both of them were angry. But Kururi saw them again when I was in my karate lesson. She saw them arguing with each other."

  "Do you remember when you saw them, Kururi-chan?"  Kida interrupted Mairu.

  "....night."

  "Did you see them holding any phones?"

  "Why?"

  "I believe that your brother is using one to contact Shizuo."

  "An old phone?"

 "Yes, Mauri an old...wait how did you know that?"

 "Was it an orange flip phone?"

 "Yes."

 "That’s his personal phone. He  only has the numbers that are important to him on it. OMG Kururi do you..."

  "Were? (Do you think they were friends?)"

  "I don't know anymore."  Mairu said, confused as well.

 Kida curiously watched the twins as they spoke to one another, their conversation seeming almost telepathic. He tried to parse together details from their disjointed conversation. Only the important phone numbers? Was Shizuo's number important? But he was Izaya's enemy. How could Shizuo's phone number have gotten important? Also why did Shizuo have one too? Did he also have an important phone? His personal?

  And how had he not smashed it?

  Kida shook his head. Whenever he started getting answers, more questions began to appear. But still, he knew where Izaya had gone that night when he’d told him to search for Ren.

  But Kida didn't want to be right.

  He sighed and looked back at Tom's team. They’d stopped walking now.  Tom and Vorona were leaning against one of the poles while Shizuo smoked several meters away and leaned at another one. Tom had stopped talking but Vorona was still nodding. Maybe she was answering Tom's question. Shizuo watched the sky,  his mind obviously still elsewhere. Tom noticed Kida and waved.

  Kida waved back and smiled. He then gestured his head towards Shizuo questioningly and Tom shrugged with a pout. Well, not even Tom knew what was happening to Shizuo.

  What had Izaya told him to make him so quiet and vice versa?

 He wished both of them would go back to how  they were before. Suddenly, Shizuo moved from the pole and sniffed at the air. He then tore the pole from the ground and threw it towards someone.

  All of them turned to look at whom Shizuo had thrown the pole. After the fog cleared, they saw a black silhouette. It turned and there was a smirk. A familiar smirk.

  Izaya stepped out of the fog, smirking at Shizuo. He closed the phone he was holding and hid it inside his jacket before making his move. He threw a knife at Shizuo who caught it in his mouth. Shizuo smashed it with his teeth before lifting up a vending machine and throwing it in return. Izaya jumped and aimed more knives at Shizuo, still maintaining his smirk. He threw one knife directly towards Shizuo's heart but the blonde caught it and threw it back. Izaya snatched it from the air and smiled. It seemed just like one of  their usual fights.

  Kida studied them. They were fighting but...something didn't fit. Izaya hadn't teased or played with Shizuo and Shizuo hadn't screamed Izaya's name.

  Their meeting. Did something happen to cause this change?

  They continued fighting and a few people stopped to watch them. Well, at least the photo made the city more confident. Shizuo and Izaya started their chase, moving further away from the crowd.

  "...but  isn't Iza-nii a little quiet?"

  "Kill. (Also, Shizuo-kun is trying to kill him!)"  Kururi observed and Mairu gasped.

  "You’re right! Shizuo-san is trying to kill Iza-nii. Well, that’s normal but Shizuo-san would never actually kill someone. Then why are his hits deadlier today. Does he want to kill Iza-nii? I’ve never seen him try to kill our brother for real before. The things he threw at Iza-nii were always a few meters away from him. Or at least near enough to just  hurt him, not kill!"

  "..."  Kida watched as the pair slowly disappeared.

  Kururi was right. Shizuo  _ WAS _ trying to kill Izaya.

 So that meeting hadn't gone well.

  "..ahhh. You’re right! We must leave."  Mauri suddenly shouted and turned to Kida.  "Kida-kun. We must roll. We’ve got some things we need to do."

  "See."

  "Yeah, see you around."  Kida shouted at them half relieved and half thankful that they’d left.

  God. He had to admit. Izaya had a really hard job. He was just with them for a few minutes and his head was ready to explode.

 Kida turned to look at the building. Even though he’d seen a normal reaction from the duo, he still had some questions. But how would he get answers?

  "That building is really old."  Someone said and Kida turned to see an old man examining the building too.

  Probably he’d seen the picture too. There were a few other people here too.

  "Sure is." Kida agreed, ready to leave.

  "Pardon me but I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation with those twins."

  "Yeah, and?"  Kida asked, starting to get annoyed.

  "Indeed. That building was an office. But Orihara wasn't the one who closed it."

  That caught Kida’s attention. He stopped walking away and moved back to his place.

  "Really?"

  "Really. Do you see that stain?"  The stranger pointed at the alley.

  "Yeah. Does that mean something?"

  "Well, maybe it does or maybe it’s just a stigma of the past."

  "So you’re saying that the building was involved in some risky business, there was a fight and that...stain was the blood that got lost in that fight."

  "Kinda."

  Kida turned at the old man.  "Kinda?"

 "Yes. Indeed the office was involved in dangerous activities. Although the fight  didn't happen in that alley. It happened inside. It was a long fight. Even though the fight was in the news, the people involved in it were never recognised."

  "And how do you know that?"

  "Well, I lived in the opposite building and late one night I heard voices coming from the office. I saw the lights were on so I called the police and later an ambulance."

  Kida nodded.  "So, that made the building close."

  But the old man shook his head.

 "No?"

 "No, my boy."

  Kida looked at him confused and then shook his head. The stain.

 "Yes. That incident made the building close."

 "I don't...understand."

 "Of course, you don't."  He pointed at it.  "That's blood."

 Then he looked up.

 "That night...someone fell off the roof."

 

_ **-xxx-** _

 

She could feel him. He was close. So close. She was so close.

  Anri watched the people walking around, yet she couldn't find the one that she wanted. She walked as her eyes turned redder. Each step she took, she could feel him more and more.

  Anri had managed to find the person that’d hurt her child. He was surprisingly young, around Shinra's age. After some digging and questioning of all  her children, she’d managed to find out that he’d gone to this building and knocked out the guard to get inside. But he hadn't stolen or destroyed anything. He’d  simply hit the guard and then... just left.

  Anri wanted to know more. She needed more information. And there was no way she’d go to Izaya for it. She signed.

  That man who’d hurt her child would have some explaining to do. He was already on Anri's bad side. Unfortunately for him, a friend of the guard had gone to pick him up. Furthermore, that driver was cut from Saika, too.

  She’d found him and asked him a few questions. He was indeed the one that had taken her other child to the hospital but was also  his partner on the job. He’d seen the face of the man and Anri tried to memorize it too.

  Although, she couldn't really see  the face well, she remembered the way he stood and how he walked. Anri had sent that image to her child in the hospital and indeed that was the man.

  Anri then sent that image to all of Saika’s children and after a while, she was told that one had managed to cut him. But....the man was resisting.

  Fortunately, she now had him on her radar. That's why she was searching for him now. He was close. Really close.

  She turned into one of the alleys and stopped. More specifically, she fell down. Not because she’d stepped on something and tripped but...

_ Because it hurt. _

 Something hurt. It hurt very much. She lifted her torso and sat on her legs, gripping her chest over her heart. God, it burned!

 She felt like something was tearing apart inside her. Anri lifted her head. She was still in the entrance of the alleyway. She gulped. In this position, everyone could see her and she could also see the road in front of her. But that wasn't what scared her. Her eyes were still red.

 She tried to stop it but the pain was causing Saika to panic. Wait? Panic? Why was Saika panicking? What was happening?

  She grasped her T-shirt. It burned so much. She wanted to cry. Saika wanted to leave but at the same time, it stayed because of fear.

  What, fear?

  Suddenly, she heard gasps. No. **_No!_ **

 They’d found her. What would she do? Anri lifted her head again and opened her eyes (when had she closed them?) and looked ahead. She sighed in relief.

 No one was looking at her. Everyone was looking at something else really far away. She breathed but felt the pain yet again.

 But this time it was getting closer. She could feel something heading towards her, making her weak, scared and unable to move.

  Anri lifted  her head again with what little strength she had and looked around. Something was thrown and after the fog cleared, she recognised the famous duo. Fighting. Shizuo lifted objects and threw them at Izaya who avoided the projectiles and threw knives back at him.

 But Anri wasn't paying attention to the fighting but at a specific person. The one that was making her weak.

_  Izaya _ .

 When he moved closer to her, Anri wanted to scream. Something was surrounding Izaya. Something that made Saika scared. But Anri had approached Izaya before. She had talked to him.

 There hadn’t been this dark aura around him in the past. Why could she feel something dark moving around him now?

  Finally, Saika screamed and Anri felt it in her head. She gripped her head painfully, desperately pulling herself to her feet and running away. Away from the aura, away from the fight.

  Away from Izaya.

  She stopped several meters away when Saika finally stopped screaming and talking. Anri gasped for air. What had just happened?

 Saika spoke to itself until suddenly quiet was spread throughout Anri's mind.

  'Saika?'

  Saika then showed her an image. Her radar. Specifically, the man she was after from the beginning. But then the image changed. 

  Izaya. Then Saika showed his aura. Not the one she’d seen when she’d met him before. That had been a red one with some blue near his heart.

  No, this one was  **black** .

 

**_ -xxx- _ **

 

 "I’m sorry."  "Excuse me."  "Sorry."

  Mikado repeated his apologies while avoiding the crowd. It was late. Midnight, his watch told him. He was with the Blue Squares again. Not as their leader like Aoba wanted but again as the candidate to become one. Aoba had dragged him back and told him to become the leader.

  Aoba had said that he could do anything with the gang. Anything at all. But even though the suggestion was really nice, he’d refused. He’d promised Kida that he wouldn't go back. Even if it was his last option.

  Mikado trusted Kida on this one. He knew more about this. So when they tried to persuade him further, he’d left, telling them not to bother talking to him again. But Mikado knew that Aoba would still try again to make him their leader. Why did Aoba want him as the leader? He was...not that kind of leader.

  Anlso, he wouldn't spend today talking to the Blue Squares. Oh, no. He had more important things to do. All week, he’d been trying to find the one that’d made that fake website. His website. Well, to be honest he’d let the Dollars go. He didn't want any more bad stuff to happen. He was...tired. So he’d let those 'ads' appear.

  Mikado thought that’d be the end but as always it wasn't. Someone had made that website to post....those photos. He’d found him. Oh, yeah he had. But later, he’d found that every day that person changed phones and threw away the old ones. But today he had him. He’d woken up earlier and managed to find the phone that guy currently had. So, he followed it. He had the GPS. He had everything.

  But when the fight between Shizuo and Izaya had started, he’d lost hope.

The GPS showed  _ Izaya _ .

  Whenever he moved the GPS followed. He couldn't believe his eyes. There must’ve been a mistake he’d thought and tried to gain back the signal. But yet again it showed Izaya. He then spent all  day following him, but not as close as he wanted. The fight continued until the afternoon or so. But then Aoba had shown up and messed up his plans. Maybe that's why he’d gone out easily this time. He was angry, he really was. Because he’d not only missed the fight but also the sight of Izaya.

  Mikado searched all the corners and alleyways of Ikebukuro but couldn't find Izaya. Or the signal. He stopped and frowned.

 He was so close to finding out if it truly was Izaya that had caused all of this. For the most part, he didn't believe that Izaya was the one who’d made the website or the one that’d posted the images. Also, as Saki had said, Izaya never threw out his phones. He kept them.

  Mikado was so confused. Soon, that guy would throw out his phone and everything would start from the beginning. He jumped over some debris that the fight had left and stopped.

_ Izaya _ .

  Izaya was right in front of him but he had his back facing him. Mikado quickly moved to hide behind the nearest wall. Izaya was staring down at the debris and shook his head. Why? Hadn't he caused that? Why did he look so confused over this?

  Izaya then took out his phone and texted someone. Mikado pulled out his phone and typed the signal.

.

.

.

  He found the phone. Mikado cheered up but then he saw the address. It wasn't here. Izaya wasn't holding the phone. But he realised the signal didn't move, meaning that guy had already thrown away the phone.

 Darn it!  Mikado wanted to shout out. Everything lost. He’d have to start from the beginning all over again. He signed and watched Izaya pacing back and forth.

 Mikado kicked the pole near him and cursed. Why did nothing today go as he wanted?

  Suddenly, the signal moved. Mikado watched it move... The guy hadn't thrown out his phone. He still had it!

  Mikado turned and examined Izaya for several moments before he started running, following the signal.

 He would find him, whoever that person was.

 

_**-xxx-** _

 

 

The black aura was close. Anri could feel it. Saika was screaming at her.

  'It’s close.' 'Approach it.'  '...examine it and  **LOVE IT!** '

  Anri closed her eyes in frustration. Yes, she wanted to find out why Izaya had that black aura around him, but she also wanted to leave it be. She didn't want to relive that pain. It wasn’t only pain she felt either. Agony. Sadness.

.

_  Death _ .

 Saika wanted to feel that aura, wanted to scar it, love it. But at the same time, it felt sadness and....regret? Anri shook her head.

  Did Saika know that aura? Did it own it before? Why did it feel regret?

  Anri moved and turned right while Saika's voice started getting louder. Anri muted it and focussed only on the radar telling her where the man was.

**Death!!!**

 She held her head and after a while, she took out Saika. Anri moved towards the aura and with a quick motion, she slashed it. Anri opened her eyes. She couldn't feel anything anymore. Not even Saika was shouting or talking. It was silent. She turned her eyes down and finally she saw what she had slashed.

  There was...a black blob. Like Celty's shadows. It was wriggling around and changing patterns but stayed in  place. She hadn't slashed it. That's why she hadn't felt Saika talking.

 Anri couldn't hurt it. The blob was moving but didn’t let out smoke when it changed shape. So, it wasn't Celty's shadows.

  Anri held Saika closer and tried to bring back the radar.

.

.

.

 The radar was pointing here. So, did Izaya know she was following him? That's why he’d used a distraction. He’d created that thing to make her lose track of him. But why would he do that? Anri felt like this wasn't Izaya's doing.

 Izaya loved playing with his playthings. Loved seeing them being tortured. Then why didn't she feel Izaya's presence?

 Was Saika wrong? No, Saika was never wrong! Also why would it lied to her? She believed that all these years would mean something to it.

 But Saika, even though it heard her talking, didn't answer. It stayed quiet.

 Why?

 Suddenly, the blob moved but Saika was faster. It moved Anri's arms and legs and the blade pierced the blob. Anri was confused when Saika had moved her body but was more shocked when the blade started glowing red.

 The blob  _ screamed _ .

  When the screams died out, the blob was cut in half and slumped. One half disappeared in thin air and the other floated on the ground.

_ Waiting. _

  Saika stopped shouting and once again turned mute. Anri's eyes changed into pure red she knew and felt control of her body transferred back to her. She gasped and then fell down with Saika.

  Saika fell several meters away and Anri looked up at the blob.

 What just happened?

  Why...did the blob scream? Why did only one half stay behind? And why didn't she feel anything from it anymore? She didn't felt neither danger, nor regret, nor sadness.

  Nor death.

 It just stayed there waiting.... Anri stood up and went to retrieve Saika.

.

.

  It was quiet... Why?

 Anri shook her head. She hadn't come here to be confused or scared. She came because she followed the radar to that person she was looking for. The one that nearly killed her child. Anri's eyes became red yet again and, with a scream of determination, pointed Saika and touched the blob.

  But what it did.... No.

 Why did Saika let it do that?

 The blob was merged into Saika. Saika then moved inside her head and once again transformed into an image inside her head. Anri closed her eyes and tried to see what Saika was showing her.

  ....the radar! The radar shifted and  now she had the dot of the person she was after on it again.

  It was close. The show must go on.

_**-xxx-** _

 

  As he ran Mikado started seeing familiar roads and buildings. Mikado maneuvered through the people that walked slowly and started steadily moving faster. He was still on the hunt for that person.

  That person moved faster. Now and then he stopped, but whenever Mikado got near, he always moved. Another the problem was that Mikado couldn't see or find that person in the crowd. He was always looking around and ahead when he got closer to that guy. But it was like this person had different forms. There wasn't any person that Mikado had seen twice in his hunt.

  He was starting to get suspicious. Did Izaya find out that Mikado was following him and gave his phone to a random person? And then that person to another and another....only to confuse Mikado? Well, Izaya was smart and fucking good at those kinds of games but...come on. He could have just thrown it and made Mikado start the hunt again.

  The GPS moved again and Mikado entered Ikebukuro's familiar roads. Where was that guy going? Even though Mikado was suspicious, he couldn't stop the hunt yet. Something was wrong. Something was going to happen.

  Good, bad, Mikado didn't have any idea. But this feeling.....

  That **aura** ....

  He could feel it. Mikado could taste it. And even though there were hints towards an early end, he continued moving.

 Mikado continued following the GPS and found himself turning right. To a familiar road. A very familiar road....

 He looked again at his GPS and saw that they’d had stopped moving. Mikado looked up....

  He knew this building. But which building was it? Or who lived in it? His mind blanked.

 The GPS showed this road but it wasn't inside the building. It was still on the road. Mikado moved forward and looked for the person but was disappointed when he only found a yellow phone. He picked up and inspected it. When he opened it, there was a message on the screen saying that the phone needed the right time and date....

 So that person knew technology. He had rewritten the phone memory. He was an expert. At least this was something...

  He looked at the phone. An old classy one. A flip phone. Now that Mikado saw it, it was really similar with...

 Shizuo's phone...?

 He sighed and threw it in the garbage. Now everything was back to the beginning... Mikado started walking back home when finally something crossed his mind.

 That person had thrown the phone here. Meaning that person had entered that building. But.....wait!!!!

  Finally, his fears exploded and worries appeared.

 That building! It was someone's home. Mikado started running inside.

 That home...

 It was...

_**-xxx-** _

 

  Saika moved, ran and half-lifted Anri. Anri was letting Saika guide her while she watched her radar. She was close, she could feel it. But the aura, the dangerous aura started appearing too. The blob that was still in her sword, was starting to resurface. But Anri didn't notice that. Neither did Saika.

  Both of them were looking forward...searching...try to find...to love.

  Anri was still in her head while also looking at the road. She would find the person she needed to love. He was close. So close.

 The aura started changing from blue to black. Anri could feel him. But the aura was somewhat....different. It wasn't the same as she’d felt when she first approached Izaya or when she’d found the blob. It was...darker.

  More dangerous. More murderous. Anri stopped moving or Saika did.

 ....Why?

  Anri could feel that person. He was close. Why did Saika stop moving? She tried to move but Saika denied her. Suddenly, the dot disappeared and her eyesight whitened. Anri found herself elsewhere. She started walking up some stairs and saw some doors. She looked at them....the numbers. She studied the numbers...

  But why she couldn't feel anything? Why didn't she move with her will? Or....Saika's?

 What was happening?

  Unaware of what was happening, the blob escaped the sword and disappeared into thin air.

  After it had completely disappeared, Anri understood what she was watching.

  The person! She was watching what that person was looking at. Anri was in his eyesight. Fortunately, Saika regained control and  she started seeing in front of her again.

  She found herself elsewhere. Anri must’ve approached the location of the persons. She looked at the building.

 No.

 Suddenly, the guy moved and Anri felt....

 Satisfaction.

 No!

 She ran inside.

_**-xxx-** _

Like always!!! Fucking always!!! He even saw him fight today but no...

  'Kida-kun! Our appointment for my information will be tomorrow. I have some things to attend to..bye bye, Kida-kun. See you again~'

  Izaya had called him. Kida was pissed as usual at Izaya’s demands. Kida wanted some quality time with Saki tomorrow, but no that bastard had to meet tomorrow. And no, Kida couldn't give Izaya's information today because Izaya had to do some stuff today. Like fighting Shizuo and destroying lives.

 He kicked some rocks on the pavement. Damn! He wanted to be free tomorrow. Kida could’ve left the information with Namie but no...Izaya wanted it in person.

 And for what? Why was this guy so important? Was he...the one that made the website? And why both Shizuo and Izaya want information about him. Kida ran a hand through his hair. Damn!!

 Not only had he wasted his time today but he also found more questions than answers. That building...

 Who had fallen off? And did they survive? Was it...Izaya? The twins said that he never entered that building after that. Yet Kida had information suggesting that Izaya went inside recently. Kida turned left.

 Goddamnit!!! The twins and Orihara....the person who fell...Ren and Shizuo were some of the things he’d try to investigate tomorrow. After Izaya's appointment, of course. He stopped.

  Finally home. Kida would hug Saki, go to bed and eat. Something  relaxing, at least. He took out his keys but a reflection made him flinch and he dropped them. He turned to inspect it.

.

.

  "What are you doing here?"  Kida asked.

  The silhouette moved.

 Kida **screamed**.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Kida ok?  
> What happened between Izaya and Shizuo?
> 
>  
> 
> Both of them (hopefully) will be answered in the next chapter. Untill then thank you for reading!!!


	6. A Familiar Face?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Guys! Long time not see! Here we have finally a chapter of Faded Memories! I hope you like it. A big thanks to my beta-reader again.
> 
> Let's begin.

Today was really quiet. The birds sang, people went to their jobs and everyone lived their busy or peaceful lives. It was lovely, so beautiful, so...quiet. Until, of course, Saki's idiot boyfriend decided to work. And at the hospital no less. After he was nearly stabbed to death!

"Are you STUPID!? Do you see how I AM?"

"Oh, I clearly see that my dear associate, but you were the one who wanted to see me right now. And if you want that then... you must deal with the consequences."

"You wanted that fucking envelope so much! You didn't even let me leave it with your secretary!... Fucking BASTARD! It was your fault that I got stabbed because of...ouch!"

"KIDA-KUN!" Saki yelled and went to his side to hit him lightly on the head. "Stop yelling! It doesn't help you or solve anything."

"Saki-chan is right Kida-kun! You're the one who looks stupid, not me. See ne~ You heard yourself. Lovely isn't it~" Izaya said while examining the envelope Kida had given to him.

"When I have my strength back , I'll show your face what lovely means!" Kida growled. Izaya closed the envelope and held it to his chest and mimicked someone in danger.

"I'm getting blackmailed! I'm so scared! _Ah_ ~" Izaya made a pathetic yell and then smirked at Kida.

"Don't complain! You brought me here to finish your job. Or more importantly, to make the hard part of your day leave, am I right, _ne~_."

"Fucking wow, Captain Obvious. Fucking finish the job so I don't see you again for months."

Izaya stopped examining the envelope for a second and glared at Kida.

" You and I both know that won't happen."

Kida sighed and fell back onto the bed. "... _yeah_."

The room fell quiet. Saki looked at her boyfriend. Kida had fallen onto his pillow and was glaring at Izaya who paced the room as he read the envelope.

The hospital room had two beds, one occupied by Kida and the other, Saki didn't know. There was a curtain in the middle of the room and she couldn't see the other bed or even the window. She sighed and brushed some of Kida's hair away from his face. He looked up at her and smiled. She smiled back.

Even though Kida had been stabbed he wanted to finish the job as soon as possible, for his own convenience and also because the job was already finished. Kida didn't want to see Izaya again for at least several days. And if he wanted that, well then he should just cooperate.

Izaya continued his pacing, ignoring Kida's glare. After Kida was stabbed, Saki had found him in the hallway of their apartment. She didn't hear him scream and she was sure that if it weren't for the two people that'd helped her move Kida, then he would be dead. Both of Kida's friends had found him and alerted Saki who in turn called the only person she could trust. **Izaya**.

When Kida found out, he would kill her. She knew that. But Izaya was the best option this time. Saki knew that the ambulance would've taken time to arrive and time was precious. Kida had already lost too much blood. But Izaya had hidden cards up his sleeves. So after Saki had called him and explained the situation, she and Kida's friends carefully moved Kida. By the time they got out, a taxi was already waiting for them.

Once they got Kida inside the car, Saki hopped inside and it brought them to this hospital just in time. Kida's wound was really deep but he would survive. He was stabbed in the right side of his stomach. It would easily heal and the doctor said the scar would close soon. Saki was happy and most of all relieved that Kida was okay.

But she still had one question. Who had stabbed Kida? And why did they do it? Was it for revenge? Or was it...the Slasher? Kida claimed he knew the person who stabbed him, but before she could ask who it was Izaya had invited himself into the room.

Saki was sure that Kida would scream and scold her for telling Izaya about the incident. But she knew they both cared about each other. The feeling was just buried deep. Really deep. Well she had proof from Izaya's side, at least. When Saki had told him that Kida was stabbed, he immediately told her to move him outside. So she knew Izaya cared. But from her boyfriend's side...

Well the main question still remained! Why did Izaya bring them to this hospital in particular? Was someone here that he wanted to meet? Did this hospital remind him of anything? From the way he was acting, alert and ready for action, she suspected that was the case. But...why _this_ hospital?

It didn't even take emergency cases, as she'd found out later. But they had taken Kida in. Also, it wasn't one of the cheapest or the most expensive of hospitals. It was just a regular hospital. Did Izaya find anything?

"... **NO, YOU'RE THE IDIOT HERE, YOU BASTARD!** " Someone screamed and Saki returned to the present.

Kida was screaming, or better yet yelling, at Izaya who just watched Kida lose his patience. Izaya had stopped in front of the curtain as Kida continued thrashing around and cursing him.

Izaya closed his eyes, maintaining his smirk as he tilted his head, and said in a condescending voice as if he were dealing with a child.

"I never said that, Kida-kun. I merely said the information you gave me isn't the whole truth."

"In other words, it's _**useless**_!"

"If you want to take my completely clear sentence that way, then _yeah_ ~"

"When I find the strength to attack, I'll show you what clear is. It definitely won't be your face!"

"Ne~ Your information is inadequate is all I'm saying." Izaya said and opened the envelope searching for something in particular.

"And how do you know that, Informant? Maybe that's all the information there is on Ren!"

"Kida-kun I'm an informant. I know my job and how to find the information needed to blackmail a person. I have already searched and found out about Ren. Including, what and who he is ."

"Then why make me research extra on all these people if you already had the information you needed?"

"Because it's always better to have a second opinion before advancing into dangerous waters without a compass."

"Then why make me search for him when you, the great informant, could've found what you were looking for?" Kida asked proudly and let Izaya respond to his clever question.

"Because you have a way to find what I want without too much effort."

"...and what exactly are you looking for?" Kida asked Izaya calmly .

Izaya looked at him and, without breaking his smirk, he continued searching the envelope for the thing he wanted to show him.

He found what he was looking for and with a loud voice, he read.

''Ren attended Raijin Academy in Ikebukuro. He studied to become a doctor, which he accomplished, but became an underground one. Last week he was sent to the hospital due to a fight he picked with Shizuo Heiwajima. He is still inside...''

"Which is true! What's your point? It's real, the information isn't fake. Do you think I'm that stupid!?" Kida interrupted Izaya but he continued nevertheless.

"Haha, I know Kida-kun. You are excellent and the best at finding something like this. But listen again...I never said that you didn't do your work. I said that you didn't find what I needed, ne~"

"What are you saying? Are you nuts? I found everything that there is to know about Ren's past!"

"I know and believe me, you found all the information that you as a human could find." Izaya stopped and smirked while Kida started growling at being called a human, as if Izaya were some kind of god.

"But Kida-kun..." Izaya pouted and turned towards Kida. "I wanted the present, not the past." He said and with a quick motion, he opened the curtain.

Saki tilted her head to see who occupied the other bed in the room. Kida did the same. Both of them gasped. Next to Kida was...Ren. He was sleeping and had several tubes connected to his body. If it weren't for the heart monitor next to him, Saki would've sworn that Ren was dead.

Ren had several bandages wrapped around his head and both of his arms were broken. His leg was also broken, considering the way it was suspended in the air. Izaya turned his back to them and considered Ren. Saki believed he did it because he didn't want them to see his face, or better yet, his expression.

Considering he was still reading the same page of information over again, Saki knew that he was probably getting angry.

''Ren attended Raijin Academy in Ikebukuro. He studied to become a doctor, which he accomplished, but became an underground one. Last week he was sent to the hospital due to a fight he picked with Shizuo Heiwajima. He is still inside...''

"Yeah and? Ren was probably brought here after the second time he fought Heiwajima."

But Izaya read it again. But this time only one line.

''He is still inside...''

"You think that something is off with this? The time I found the information was after the fight he had with the fortissimo..." Kida pointed out but Izaya pressed the button to call a nurse.

"The fuck? I don't need a nurse. Are you trying to lock me up in here?"

"No. But that's a nice idea. I'll keep it in mind!" Izaya turned to Kida and laughed, coming closer. "But believe me I'm as confused as you are. So please listen to my point before you get mad. Which fight was it?"

"What do you mean...?" Kida started but the sound of an opening door stopped him.

Saki looked at the door and saw the nurse. But it wasn't Kida's nurse. Kida's nurse was blonde and she wore glasses. This one had long black hair and green eyes. Saki stopped observing her and turned back to Izaya. The button he'd pressed was at Ren's side. It seemed every patient had a different nurse.

The nurse closed the door and turned her attention to the people in the room. She smiled at Saki and Kida, waving at them.

"Woah. New people. What happened to you, sweetie?" She said in a cheerful voice and looked at Kida.

"I..I was stabbed. But don't worry, I'm as okay as my feelings..." Kida tried to continue but Saki slapped him.

She became jealous over Kida's behaviour. After everything, she believed that he'd stop doing such things. Saki thought that he'd come to terms with their relationship. She stared at him and Kida answered with a sorry smile while he rubbed his sore head. And even though Saki felt a wave of possessiveness, she didn't lose her smirk. That was the only thing she hoped to maintain from Izaya's influence.

"Yeah. His nurse said that even though the wound was deep, he'd be able to leave in three days." Saki said in a voice so calm that even she was taken back by it.

But the nurse smiled at the scene in front of her. "Oh, my dearies~ I wish you a nice recovery. But anyway, I'm not here for talking. I have a job to do. Are you family? If so, I don't recall seeing you here before."

The nurse addressed Izaya who smiled and closed his eyes, lightly laughing. Saki knew what he was trying to do. Izaya would start with a cheerful expression. Then he would either 'flirt' with her in order to gain the information he needed or he'd catch her off-guard by turning his expression suddenly serious in order to get more information. And because he was Izaya, Saki knew that he would go for the latter.

Saki knew this trick. It was one of her best ones. It was actually the first trick she used and to whom...To Kida. But she chose to flirt with him instead. At the time Saki only needed enough information to blackmail Kida. But she lost herself halfway and started truly falling in love with him. Saki smiled to herself. She knew that it was the best mistake she had ever made.

"Oh no. I'm not family." Izaya began cheerfully and then he turned towards Ren. "Merely a friend that just found out what happened." He continued with a low voice.

Saki cheered inside her. She felt like she'd won the lottery. Even though she knew Izaya to some degree, sometimes even she couldn't predict what he'd do. Like with his phone and that photo.

...

Wait...That's what Izaya was trying to say. How could she have not seen it? Or better yet, Kida?

"Oh really? I am truly sorry. Your friend is in a coma. He was hit very hard in the head. He has a concussion but don't worry, he is getting better."

"Oh good. I was worried about him. You know he was always a careful person, but this time he was careless." Izaya said, yet again with a cheerful voice.

"I know. Who picks a fight with the fortissimo? Whoever does that is a crazy person." The nurse commented and Izaya smirked.

Typical Izaya.

"Wait!" Kida almost yelled. The nurse turned and said. "Yes?"

"Pick a fight? But he was punched for no reason." Kida continued and the nurse smiled politely and replied.

"No, no, no. Even though the fortissimo is a scary and strong person, he would never pick a fight without a reason."

"But… he did." Kida said and Izaya stopped him.

"Oh please. He was asking for it. Typical Ren! Who picks a fight in your own home with someone who can send you out of it?" Izaya grimaced and the nursed laughed.

"Wait… home?" Kida asked.

"Oh, yeah. Mister Katumi picked a fight in his apartment with the fortissimo three weeks ago."

"Three weeks?"

"Yes. Mister Katumi was sent here and he's been in a coma ever since. And his bones still aren't fully healed..."

"But three days ago he was out." Kida yelled.

The nurse was taken aback, after a while she started laughing. "I'm sorry but that must be a mistake. Mister Katumi has been here for three weeks. And even if he wasn't in a coma, he wouldn't be able to walk aro..." The nurse continued talking but Kida had stopped listening.

So that's why Izaya had asked him. That's why Shizuo had asked him. But if the real Ren was in the hospital, then who was the person Shizuo punched? Was he someone pretending to be Ren? Someone that tried to impersonate him in order to achieve something? Who was it?

Kida watched Izaya and the nurse talking while he thought about... the information he brought to Izaya.

'' _He is still inside..._ ''

Kida slapped his forehead. Even in his own information, he hadn't seen it. He'd found out about Ren being inside the hospital but... although Kida didn't want to admit it , he was right. His information had been inadequate. Kida hadn't found out when Ren had left the hospital or if he'd even been released. Kida had just let it slide while he searched for Ren's history. But something wasn't right.

Why did both Shizuo and Izaya want information on Ren?

Did they know who the real Ren was and want to find out who the true face behind this was? Now that he thought about it, Izaya had said on the phone that Kida should find more photos of Ren. But, as always, Kida had let that slide because he knew Izaya already had a picture. The picture that Shizuo had taken.

But Kida knew why Izaya had asked now. He wanted Kida to take the picture. To see if the person that Shizuo had punched really wasn't Ren. Kida... was an idiot.

He would've solved everything by now and he'd know what was going on. Also, now that he thought about it, Shizuo had frowned when Kida said that Ren was in his gang. But when Kida continued and claimed that he knew him, Shizuo had said something that confused Kida. Then when Kida said that the fake 'Ren' was just using his gang's color, Shizuo was surprised. Meaning that the person who was impersonating Ren was dangerous.

So dangerous that even Shizuo was surprised when Kida said he was with a group of people. But then again, he had met Ren during the fight outside the building. And that person was walking so...

But what had Shizuo mumbled before Kida stopped him? Kida couldn't remember.

"Oh, thank you! You are handsome, too! But please stop. You're making me blush!" The nurse said and Kida's thoughts returned to the conversation.

"No, no. You really are beautiful..." Izaya continued and Saki started to get suspicious.

What else did Izaya want? He'd already discovered that this man was Ren and the one in the photo wasn't. Was she missing something? Izaya kept flirting with the nurse (if Saki didn't know better, even she would've fallen for him), so Saki knew that Izaya hadn't got what he wanted yet. But what else would he ask the nurse? She only knew about Ren and nothing else.

While Saki thought that, Kida decided he wanted to throw up. Seeing someone as crazy and serious as Izaya flirt was surreal. On one hand, Kida wanted to ask Izaya to train him because, whether he wanted to admit it or not, Izaya was really good at flirting. On the other hand, he wanted to scream at him. That or tell the nurse about the danger she was in. But Kida knew something was wrong.

Izaya wanted something.

"Ah~ thank you. I am really flattered. No one has ever flirted with me before."

"Oh really? Mmm~ Well I would love to keep talking with someone as angelic as you. But I know that if we want to continue this, we should go somewhere else~" Izaya let the last word slip and that did the trick.

The nurse smiled and wrote something on her notepad. Then she ripped it out and gave the paper to Izaya, winking at him. Izaya smiled and winked back.

"I'm sure that can be arranged." The nurse said and giggled.

"I'm look forward to it." Izaya giggled and turned to look at Ren.

"Is everything okay?" The nurse asked and Izaya nodded after a while.

"Yes. But I'm really concerned. You know, for Ren." Izaya continued.

"Believe me when I say that your friend is slowly recovering..." The nurse began, but Izaya stopped her.

"I know that...but how will I tell his family? They don't know about this. Not even his twin brother..."

Wait? Twin? Twin brother? Did Ren have a twin brother? That… that means...

Kida lost touch with reality. What did Izaya mean? Was that true? Was it a trick? Or was it real? What? What should Kida believe now? From what he saw the other person looked exactly like Ren, Kida would say that Ren really did have a twin. But if Izaya knew that, then why make Kida search for Ren Katumi and not for his brother? And why did he get angry when Kida had found so little inform… Did that mean Kida hadn't done his work right? Was he getting rusty?

While Kida was having a breakdown, Saki studied Izaya. From the way he was standing, Izaya displayed that what he was saying was true. That or he was a good liar. Which Saki knew that Izaya was. But if this was a lie then why did Izaya bring it up now and not in the beginning? And why did he do all that fake flirting with the nurse? Was that real? Why did Izaya ask a mere nurse and not search for it himself? Saki knew that with all the resources he had, he would've found his answer.

"Does he have a twin brother?" Even the nurse was taken aback.

"Yes, Rio. They had a little argument and since then they haven't really talked. But as his brother, he deserves to know about his health. But as I recall… Rio was also here. Wasn't he?" Izaya finally said and circled the bed Kida occupied to stand in front of the nurse.

"Rio? Isn't that a woman's name?" The nurse asked.

Izaya looked at the nurse dead on and stopped talking. He then showed one of his most creepy smirks and giggled lightly.

"Oh~ If only you knew~" He sang and turned his sight elsewhere, giving the nurse some breathing space.

She then moved a few meters away from Izaya and, after giving him an awkward smile, she searched her history. After a while, she looked at Izaya.

"I'm really sorry, but I can't find any men named 'Rio' who were hospitalized here. But how would you know that..."

"Ah~ As the boy said, he saw a similar face being punched by Heiwajima. So I thought, as this hospital is the most common one, Rio would be transferred here. But just as I thought, he didn't go to a hospital. He really is an idiot." Izaya continued and smiled cheerfully.

The nurse got the point and smiled back. After a while, she said her goodbyes and left the room. Kida stood too quickly for Saki's liking and almost yelled at Izaya.

"What was that? Is that true? Does Ren have a twin? And why did you make me search for Ren and not Rio? And..." Kida tried to continue but something slapped his face.

An envelope.

Kida opened it and found money inside. He looked up but before he could say anything, he was faced with an empty room.

-xxx-

"Thank you for… everything." Saki mumbled as she followed Izaya out of Kida's room.

They walked down the corridor that led to the reception. Well, Izaya walked ahead and Saki followed with her head down, probably because she was embarrassed. Saki didn't feel embarrassed though. She felt… relieved and happy. Kida was would be out in three days, as the nurse had said, and nothing vital was injured. But she was also surprised. Why? Because of Izaya. His behaviour left her confused and relieved.

**Izaya had helped Kida.**

Even though they hated each other, Izaya had helped him. He cared for him.

**Why?**

After they had passed the reception, Izaya turned to look at her. Saki stopped and stared back at him. His eyes made her stop and she looked down again . They were… different. They were… familiar.

But Izaya _noticed._

"Why did you look down?"

Saki held her breath. She had seen those eyes before. She remembered them. She knew them. She felt them. Everywhere on her body. She was panicking, she knew that, but she couldn't stop herself.

Why now? Maybe it was lack of sleep. Maybe it was from all the stress. _Why?_

Before she knew it, she was crying. She tried to stop but couldn't. She felt it. She wanted to leave. But she was frozen. _Alone_. **Scared**.

A hand on her head interrupted her thoughts. She stopped trembling. She stopped everything.

"Saki. We're fine. We're okay. Please tell me if something is wrong. I will listen." Izaya began and Saki lifted her head to look at him.

Izaya was looking back at her. Not _reading_ her, as he always did, but just looking. He showed Saki that his attention was directed solely on her. _Listening._

**Caring.**

Izaya noticed that Saki was trying to calm down so he took her hands in his and said again in a calm voice.

"It's ok. I'm waiting. Don't stress yourself. I know that yesterday was a difficult day, not only for Kida but for you too. Am I right?"

Saki looked at her hands inside Izaya's. She nodded, showing that she had heard him and after a while Izaya asked gently .

"Do you want to tell me?"

Saki _stopped_. She closed her eyes and willed herself to calm down. She then nodded again and said.

"I saw the... blood. There was too much blood around Kida. He was so pale. I thought he was _dead_. I… I was… so scared. I… I remembered when I… I… I… "

"I know. It was a difficult night. I know you're remembering that incident. But think about the future and the present. You are okay. Kida is okay."

"I know Izaya-kun." Saki screamed and snatched her hands away from Izaya's and crossed them on her chest.

"But… why? Why can't I stop it? Why? I… I want to not think t… that. I want to move on. But the memory is still here. It hurts sometimes. I want to tell Kida but I… I am scared. I… I can't."

Izaya looked at Saki with a sigh and then he smirked. He put his hands in his pockets and turned his back to Saki.

"I… I know how you feel Saki."

"No! You don't! You… you haven't..." But Saki started crying again.

Suddenly Saki felt someone hugging her. Saki continued crying but hugged back. Izaya put his hands on Saki's back and head and whispered.

"... no... no, I haven't. But I know the feeling. What it's like to feel lost. The feeling of loneliness. Feeling like it's all your fault. But..." Izaya said and leaned back to look at Saki.

"That feeling comes and goes. It's here and then it leaves. Why? When you're helpless and alone, it's in your head playing tricks on you. But when you feel happy, relieved and...not alone, it leaves. Why? Because those feelings are stronger. They give you hope. A reason to live. To dream. Yes we have our dark days, but we also have our sunny. And for you… you need to stop feeling alone. Helpless. Remember that you have someone you care about. Someone that is safe." Izaya continued and looked at the corridor they had walked down.

Saki listened to Izaya's speech and slowly, without her realising it, she had stopped trembling and crying.

"Because when you are alone, the only thoughts that will help you are the ones you treasure. The ones that mean the world to you. So, Saki, do me a favor. Remember the day you realised you were in love with Kida. The happiest you've ever felt. After everything you overcame to reach it. Find that feeling and when you feel down or something makes you remember the past, remember that moment. And believe me, that moment will start to develop and you will forget everything sad you felt. Because sometimes we need something to help us move forward." Izaya spoke and Saki started smiling.

Because she did remembered that day and the feeling she had experienced. It was the happiest she had ever felt. And now, she had still Kida and he _loved_ her back.

Izaya watched Saki and once he noted that he had managed to calm her down, he flashed his trademark smirk again. He said goodbye and asked Saki to notify him if something happened, turning to start walking out of the hospital.

" **Izaya**?"

"Yes?"

"Is that what you do when you feel **alone**? _You remember something that made an impact on your life?_ "

Izaya stopped walking and stood in the doorway.

After a while, before he left the hospital, he finally said in a quiet tone.

**"Aren't humans unpredictable?"**

-xxx-

Five days later

"...the feeling is still strong though. I don't usually follow my instincts or anything, regardless of my feelings, but now I feel something is very wrong. Something is escaping from the darkness. It's not only coming out to play, but to stay and destroy."

"Oh really? I didn't know you had the third eye, as they call it."

"..."

"Oh! Come on! It was a joke."

"And yet again your humor is nonexistent."

"Oh, ouch, Shiki-san. I'm hurt."

"...You're unusually happy lately, Akabayashi. Did something happen?"

"No. Maybe this is just my personality."

"Yes, but today you're really enjoying yourself. I can feel your energy."

Shiki breathed in some smoke. They sat inside Shiki's car, parked outside a familiar building. Not the abandoned one that everyone had visited one week ago, but the new one that took its place. A new picture had been posted yesterday.

Akabayashi had been with Anri He'd wanted to see how she was doing. There was something bothering Saika a few days ago and he could feel it too. His eye burned and he wanted so much to take it out. But then he remembered that it was already gone. Something had seriously bothered Saika, something really, really dangerous. Not only that but, even though Akabayashi wasn't Saika's host, he felt like it was inside him and trying to escape.

It was surreal because he had never felt something like that. No, scratch that. He _had_ felt it before, but where? He couldn't remember, but eventually, he would. Anyway, while he was with Anri he had learnt that something was indeed bothering Saika. He had also learnt that, even though Saika was scared (something that made him question the sword) it felt nostalgic towards that person.

The problem was, that person had been someone unexpected. Izaya. But Akabayashi had approached, spoken to and touched Izaya before without ever feeling any strange auras around him. Akabayashi, after the incident with Sayaka, could feel auras and Izaya's wasn't dangerous. It was… nostalgic... lonely… sad. But inside it was something else that Akabayashi couldn't recognize. So he tried, in every meeting that he had with the informant, to find and approach it. But the problem with Izaya was that he always, and Akabayashi meant always, kept his heart closed.

Sure, Akabayashi had found people with closed hearts before, but Izaya's was a maze. Akabayashi felt, and Anri too, that Izaya had opened his heart once before. But soon enough it had been closed again. Why? He didn't know. That's what he was trying to find out. Akabayashi shook his head. While they were talking, Anri told him that her friend had been stabbed.

Yeah… Kida.. wasn't it? Anri had found him with her other friend and helped him get to the hospital. Fortunately, the wound wasn't deep and Kida had been released one day ago. Akabayashi could feel Anri's aura. She was relieved. Well, he would feel relieved too if someone he cared was okay. But the stabbing was a problem. Who did it? When Akabayashi said that maybe it was the informant, Anri had disagreed. She claimed to have clues suggesting that he wasn't the one who had stabbed the kid.

And the culprit wasn't a stranger. Kida said he knew them. But after he woke up, he didn't remember their face. Still, Akabayashi would keep his eye open. Maybe another Saika's slasher was out there. The only thing he could do was find Kida and ask. Before they parted ways, a familiar sound had interrupted them. _Their phones._

A new photo had been added to the case of 'possible friends then enemies - the infamous duo'. This one was really different to the other ones though. Izaya and Shizuo stood next to each other, half-facing one another and a point above the camera . Izaya was talking to someone on his phone and Shizuo's hands were shoved in his jacket pockets. Izaya's free hand was outstretched in front of Shizuo. _Stopping him_.

Izaya looked... **mad**? His face showed the grimace he did when he was angry or, maybe, curious. Shizuo was… calm, but his expression suggested he was considering something. They both looked at that something, making this all the weirder. The strangest thing about the picture was that Izaya had his arm in front of Shizuo. Presumedly stopping him from moving ahead and causing chaos. But after close inspection, Akabayashi was sure this photo had ruined the image he had of the duo. Izaya was touching Shizuo's chest.

**Holding him.**

Both of them wore their school uniforms, meaning that either they were heading to school or they were heading home. Akabayashi couldn't tell the time. Only that it was bright. The photo was somewhat diagonal and that made the photo even more interesting. What were Izaya and Shizuo looking at? Not only that. Both of them were somewhat angry, meaning... the one conclusion that everyone had come to.

 _ **They shared an enemy**_.

Behind them was a familiar square that Akabayashi and Shiki currently occupied. And in front of them was the building that had sparked another mystery. In front of them was a dojo. If this was the same building as the one the duo was looking at too then… what was happening? Did someone come out of it? Did they see that person and Izaya stopped Shizuo? And why was Izaya talking on the phone?

Akabayashi sighed. He would research that picture (and read some of the new theories about it) later. Now, he had a _job_ to do.

"Maybe I like being cheerful. You should try it some time, Shiki-san."

But Shiki didn't appear interested in the suggestion.

"Akabayashi, focus..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I feel something too. Do you think that whatever is escaping the darkness is the reason everyone is freaking out?"

"...why not? It's a possibility. But both you and I know that if we want to find out what exactly is going on, we need to ask the person himself. But lately he is nonexistent."

"Oh! Do you think our dear informant knows about this?"

"...no. I don't think he knows yet because he's too busy with the person we see him with in the photos." Shiki said and lit another cigarette.

"... what?"

"Although I respect and often got to Orihara for information, I also have another informant. Or better yet, detectives. Lately one of them found that Izaya was, and still is, spending his free time talking to on an old phone and meeting with the fortissimo himself. And yes, Akabayashi before you ask, they meet _**not**_ fight."

"But we have seen them fight lately. And not just fight. They try to kill each other."

Shiki exhaled smoke. "True. But their fights are slowly decreasing. Also I haven't heard news of Heiwajima creating chaos, or for that matter, Izaya ruining lives. It's like they're invisible. They're normal. I don't know, Akabayashi. I feel like something is coming and it's trying to confuse us."

"You mean like the thing that's trying to escape the darkness is creating a fake distraction about our duo to make us blind."

Shiki nodded. Then the thing was really dangerous if that was true. But what would want to escape and create chaos in a district that was already dark? Did it want to destroy Ikebukuro altogether? Akabayashi scratched his chin in thought. Well, he had seen a new gang that wore Anri's friend's color around. Did that mean the gang was coming back or was it another one? One more dangerous and dark?

"I know that you're troubled as I am, but I need to share my thoughts with someone."

"Ah~ Shiki-san you're so kind."

"Shut it."

" _Ouch_... anyway. Was that the only reason you wanted to talk to me?"

"Unfortunately, no. I have some information regarding your follower's friend."

"Anri isn't my follower, but please Shiki-san continue."

Shiki nodded and he grabbed something from inside his jacket. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to Akabayashi.

"The footage of that night is still unclear. My people are analysing it and when it is ready I will notify you. But we have several incidents regarding a slasher and all of them occurred in Ikebukuro. What worries me is that all the victims say they don't remember the person who cut them. But the thing that connects them is that all victims remember that the person who slashed them was a familiar face. And no they are not a he or she. The victims don't know the same people, so the person that cuts them cannot be the same. Meaning that the gang was searching for something.

I believe the gang that has shown up recently is the one causing this mess. But I'm not certain yet. Until then, they are on my list. Another possibility is Saika's children..."

"No, no, no. I don't believe that. I think the first possibility is the right one."

Shiki studied him but didn't say anything else regarding Saika. But Akabayashi knew Anri would've felt if there was another victim of Saika and he would have too. So unless he found evidence suggesting otherwise, he knew that Saika didn't do it.

Akabayashi considered the photos inside the envelope. There were so many victims. Young, old, students. Many of whom Akabayashi knew. He looked at them again and saw that each one had been cut on different parts of their body. Several had wounds on their stomachs, others on their hands.

"So...did al the victims leave hospital or did any stay longer?" Akabayashi asked, still examining the photos.

Shiki looked at Akabayashi and closed his eyes. "No. Everyone left the hospital soon enough. They were all released after the same amount of time. Three days. Only two people, with cuts in the same place, were released earlier. As I recall, I believe it was only one day or two days at most. Both victims were male, but we don't know their names or ages. Not even the date of their attacks. But as you have seen, I am familiar with many people. I know several of the victims. Some of them have been behaving strangely after their incident. So I would be careful ."

"Roger that, Shiki-san. I will keep that in mind." Akabayashi said and looked outside.

More and more people were looking at the Dojo and Akabayashi did too. As Shiki had said, something was happening in the city. First the photographs and now the gang. Hell, he could feel something too, even if he didn't know what it was. Akabayashi had thought it was something happy, something cheerful. But as time passed, he started to feel nostalgic. _Sad_. **Cautious.**

After a while spent observing the building and the people that walked in front of it, he said goodbye to Shiki and left the car. He knew that their conversation was over and that they needed to part. But before he left, Shiki opened the window and said.

"Akabayashi… I know about the incident you experienced several years ago. And, although I don't question your instincts on the Saika matter, please don't be surprised if you are in over your head. Just follow your instincts and leave your feelings out of it."

Akabayashi smiled, or rather smirked, at Shiki and waved back before starting to walk away. Akabayashi had known that Shiki knew about his incident. He knew that Shiki felt something was going to happen and that's why he was warning him. But the thing is that when Shiki was explicitly warning someone about something...

_It was always bound to happen._

Akabayashi knew that and that was what he'd been fearing.

**Saika would strike today.**

-xxx-

Well, he'd managed to get himself lost. Not entirely, but he was on a road that was unfamiliar to him. Akabayashi was sure somewhere in his conversation with a couple girls he'd made a wrong turn. He was in Ikebukuro, he was sure of that, but he wasn't sure where exactly. Not even the shops here were familiar.

Akabayashi had enjoyed the company of the two girls and the information they'd provided, but as usual he'd lost track of time and forgot where he was headed. He was sure he'd met those girls somewhere before. Maybe during some shady business, in any case he was glad they were okay.

After saving them from some hooligans, Akabayashi had talked to and accompanied the girls away from the hooligans' turf. But on the way he hadn't paid attention to where they headed, letting the girls lead as he followed. They had some really interesting information to offer.

Aside from the gossip about Ikebukuro's duo, they also knew some things regarding the new gang. How they came across the information, Akabayashi didn't want to know. It seemed, this yellow-clad gang was popular. So popular that everyone knew them by name.

The Yellow Scarves. Yeah, it was the name that Anri's friend had given his gang. But the leader wasn't active anymore. Meaning that something must've changed. Or...if Kida… yeah Kida… wasn't leading the gang … then it must be another gang. Although, their movements were the same as the Yellow Scarves'. They met behind that abandoned building and then moved to another place that was closer to the abandoned site. The one in which Anri was searching for the person who had hurt her child.

Now that he thought about it, the guard had been stabbed too. Maybe it was the same gang that attacked him. Was this new gang truly behind all the chaos lately? He hoped so, because he didn't want to believe that it was another Saika incident. Also who would stab one of Saika's children with another Saika if they were already under its control? Akabayashi scratched his head. Strange things were happening lately.

But this gang didn't act… like a gang. It was quiet and only reacted if it was provoked. The girls had also said that they only saw those thugs move when they transported an unknown product. When Akabayashi had asked where, both of them shook their heads. Their movements were unclear. Sometimes they moved their product to the center of Ikebukuro and other times outside it.

The gang also knew other languages. That part was particularly strange to Akabayashi and he decided to research and discuss this fact with Shiki. A gang… speaking foreign languages? Something was wrong. _Very wrong_.

Like… his feeling. Today he had been really cheerful, but somewhere in the middle of his conversation with Shiki that feeling had disappeared. Now he was feeling… unsafe? _On edge? Ready for a fight._

_**Cautious.** _

Akabayashi tightened his grip on his cane as he walked. No… something wasn't right. The feeling was getting _stronger_.

_**Why?** _

All this time, Akabayashi hadn't realized that he'd entered an alley. He noticed this when he heard something. Something… _falling_ down. He turned towards the direction of the sound. Someone with a hood on had his back turned to him and Akabayashi stopped. Another hooligan, heh? Akabayashi could take care of him.

Akabayashi set down his cane and smirked.

"Is something wrong?"

He asked lightly but the boy didn't answer. Nor did he turn to face Akabayashi, for that matter. That was… weird.

Akabayashi tried a _different approach_.

"Do we know each other?"

A straight 'no' and Akabayashi could weigh up his chances. If this person knew him then he didn't need an introduction or to mess with him. He could just leave and continued on his journey.

"... yes. We know each other."

 _That_ caught Akabayashi off-guard.

"Not face to face but… hahaha… we know of each other. Rumors and stories are my main source of information about you."

"Oh really? I'm lucky to be so popular. I'm impressed! But please, enlighten me as to who you are too."

Akabayashi said and watched as the boy's shoulders shook. **A fake** _ **laugh**_ **?** Ok, now he started to understand his gut feeling. Akabayashi felt like he knew that movement, that shaking? It was really familiar.

"Hahaha… of course. I would love to." The boy replied and faced Akabayashi.

He let down his hood and looked at him.

"As I said, we know each other. But not face to face." The boy said or rather...

_**Kida.** _

Kida spoke and Akabayashi let his smile fall and replaced it with a smirk. His gut feeling told him to remain cautious. He wouldn't let his guard down. Not even towards someone that was close with Anri.

"Oh~ Look at that, my memory has returned! How are you doing, whoever-you-are? Hahaha, I'm sorry but I honestly don't know you..."

Akabayashi said simply and he wasn't technically lying. They hadn't met each other (not in person anyway). Yes, Akabayashi was a really strong man with powerful connections, but not everyone who had heard of him had met him. Sure he was pretty recognisable with the scar, but yet again there were many people who had scars over their eyes.

"Oh, no. We can't let the conversation drop, can we? We know each other and deeply I must say." Kida continued and looked straight into Akabayashi's eyes.

"Ha, no. We really don't. I don't know you. But you look like a teen so… a teenager I'm guessing?" Akabayashi lied, but Kida sighed.

"No more lies. You already know that because you saw his information sheet earlier."

"Wait! _'His'?_ "

Kida smirked. "Oh I'm sorry~ You think I'm 'him'?" The fake Kida said and started laughing.

Akabayashi was unnerved. After 'Kida' stopped laughing, he opened his eyes and Akabayashi finally realised something.

 _His eyes were_ _**red**_.

So that's what his gut was trying to tell him. Ok then… but why wasn't his eye _burning_ like it always did?

"Oh~ Saika, or rather Saika's child. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

'Kida' smirked. "How do you know I'm not Saika itself?"

"Because I know you aren't Saika. I also know that the real Kida was stabbed five days ago by someone like you. So tell me, Saika's child, what is the purpose of this visit? Did something happen?"

'Kida' smiled and his shoulders shook again. Akabayashi knew that movement but from _where_?

"Oh, nothing actually. Saika doesn't want anything. I just wanted to see the great Akabayashi for myself."

"Haha great. Now enough nonsense. What happened to your mother?"

"Nothing~ _Saika_ is fine." 'Kida' continued.

Akabayashi started to get angry but before he could yell at the boy, his eyes widened.

"Wait… You don't refer to Saika as your mother." Akabayashi began and 'Kida' smirked.

_Why was everything 'Kida' did so familiar?_

"Ha! Finally! As I pointed out, you don't know Saika like I do." 'Kida' said and moved his hand in front of Akabayashi's fake eye.

Kida's eyes lit up and Akabayashi screamed in pain, grabbing at his eye. It hurt like the first time he was stabbed by Saika. But he couldn't feel Saika's love… rather pain. Only pain. And although Akabayashi was holding his fake eye and had taken it out, it still burned excruciatingly. But despite how loud Akabayashi's screams of agony were, 'Kida's' _laugh_ was **louder.**

**And really familiar.**

Akabayashi tried to numb the pain, to stop it, to soothe it. Anything. He needed to move, he sensed danger, he sensed...

**Death.**

Akabayashi let out a loud scream and swung his cane. He felt it vibrate upon impact with 'Kida' and, although everything still hurt, his body moved automatically. He held his cane in his right hand to steady himself as he lifted his foot and kicked blindly. Akabayashi didn't know what he'd managed to hit, but he felt the pain fading. He _breathed freely_ and _closed his eyes_.

Akabayashi had moved several steps away from the boy in front of him, just in case he attacked again. His eye still sensed ' _death_ ' and Akabayashi knew that he needed to move, to either get away from or fight the kid in front of him. He felt something was very wrong. Kida had only left the hospital five days ago, meaning that he was on the mend but the wound was still there. _Still deep_.

So why would the boy be moving as if nothing bothered him?

Akabayashi lifted his head and stared at the boy with clenched his teeth. 'Kida' was smirking and had his hands shoved inside his pockets. When he noticed Akabayashi looking, the kid lifted one to show Akabayashi. There was a deep scar and blood covering his palm. So Akabayashi had managed to hit him, but with what? He glanced at his foot and saw that there was a scalpel sticking out of his shoe. His secret knife.

_The one he used only in emergencies._

So… Akabayashi had followed his gut instinct, or rather the senses that Saika gave him. He made his move.

'Kida' saw though and reacted. He dodged Akabayashi's cane and kicked him in the leg. Akabayashi whelped in pain and went down, but used this to his advantage. He let himself fall and, once he was sure of the distance, he turned to catch himself before kicking again. _**Bullseye**_.

It was 'Kida's' turn to whelp, but he somehow held himself upright. He then brandished a crowbar and swung it towards him. Akabayashi dodged and the duel truly began.

After several swings, 'Kida' managed to hit Akabayashi in his arm and 'Kida' took that as his opportunity to run. Akabayashi held his arm and inspected the damage. The kid had managed to give him a huge scar that was starting to turn blue. He tore up his shirt to use as a bandage. As soon as he finished wrapping the wound, he ran after the boy. Not of his own free will, but driven by his instincts. He knew that something was about to happen and, oh, Akabayashi would find out what.

_**That was for certain.** _

After he ran down several alleys and roads, he managed to locate the boy. He had climbed onto the roof of a building. Akabayashi followed but the boy jumped onto another rooftop. He froze and after a while, he jumped too. In his hesitation he'd lost sight of 'Kida' and cursed himself mentally. But suddenly he stopped and hid behind a nearby wall. He didn't know why but his instincts told him this was the right thing to do.

Akabayashi tried to determine what had caused the reaction but was shocked by what he saw next.

In front of the roof's railing, just ahead of him, stood none other than Izaya. He was looking down as if he hadn't heard Akabayashi's or even 'Kida''s approach. After a while of total silence Akabayashi pulled out his phone and took a picture. If his gut feeling to stay put weren't so strong, then he would investigate further.

Izaya was too quiet, which didn't match his usual personality. And from this angle, Akabayashi couldn't see if he was smirking or not. Izaya's posture, the way his foot supported him entirely to the railing with his hands shoved casually inside his pockets, gave Akabayashi a weird _vibeness_. As he could recall, Izaya wasn't fond of looking over tall buildings, or rather, seeing someone else so close to the edge of a rooftop.

He was okay if he were the one near the railing, but not when anyone else was near it. This made Akabayashi wonder. _Why?_ Had something happened to cause this behavior in Izaya. He sighed and the adrenaline he had slowly began to fade. But a thought made his adrenaline return.

'Kida' had hit him. 'Kida' was taken over by Saika. But all of Saika's children attacked with knives. 'Kida' hadn't. _He had used a_ _ **crowbar**_. Why? _And why hadn't he referred to Saika as_ _**mother**_ _?_

Was 'Kida' possessed by another type of Saika? Was he even possessed by a child of Saika? Was he possessed by another type of monster or object altogether?

Akabayashi frowned. He hadn't realised until now, but his eye. **The pain**. How had 'Kida' done that? Was he the true host of Saika? No, no, no. The 'true host' of Saika was that chick that worked for a businessman. Kasane? Yes, she was. But 'Kida' had been attacked only five days ago. So what was going on?

_And why wasn't Izaya moving?_

Akabayashi wanted to go and talk to him, but something held him back. He could trust his instinct, at least. He laughed softly to himself.

And then he _stopped_ altogether.

_**Death!** _

The feeling was so strong that it was all Akabayashi felt. He wanted to scream, to move, to do _something_ , but his body stayed put. He cleared his vision of tears and looked for the informant. Izaya was climbing over the railing.

As he watched, Akabayashi felt even sicker. He felt darkness, danger, and death, _so much death_. With each movement from Izaya, the feeling plagued him. _**Why?**_

He had met and spoken with Izaya before. Why only now were his instincts telling him he shouldn't be anywhere near him? His aura was dark too. **Impossibly dark**.

Suddenly the pain stopped just as Izaya jumped off the roof. Akabayashi yelled and lifted himself up, only to fall down immediately after. It hurt everywhere, but he needed to see what had become of Izaya.

He limped to the edge and looked down. Izaya was nowhere to be seen. He recognized the sight of the black rider several meters away. But everyone on the street continued on normally, meaning that Izaya hadn't hit the ground. Either he'd disappeared or he'd moved so fast that even Akabayashi couldn't see him climbing to the ground.

Akabayashi clutched the railing. Geez his feeling of happiness from this morning had really turned around, hadn't it? He laughed quietly and allowed himself to _relax_.

Akabayashi thought back over the events of the day, trying to determine what had caused so many bad feelings to appear in his gut.

After a while, he realised something that made him totally confused and cautious at the same time.

_'Kida's' movements had been really familiar to Izaya's._

Did… no. But if Izaya wasn't Saika's true host, then why did he feel that dark aura around him? And why did Akabayashi suddenly feel nostalgic when he was around him?

_Was Izaya the one behind all this?_

He didn't really want to believe it, but that 'Kida' and his aura showed that Izaya was at least somewhat behind this.

**Bam!**

Akabayashi turned at the speed of light and lifted his cane in preparation for a fight. But the only thing he saw was a grate being pushed down. Still, his gut encouraged him to investigate the sound. Akabayashi moved towards the grate and with a quick movement, he looked behind the wall. He found none other than 'Kida'.

 _So he'd stopped to look at Izaya too, hmm?_ That or Izaya was communicating with him via his mind. Or Akabayashi was simply going nuts and all of this was a coincidence.

'Kida' looked towards the sound of the grate being stepped on by Akabayashi and smirked at him. His shoulders shook once again and he jumped onto another roof with Akabayashi,on his tail.

Yeah. _**That 'Kida' was really looking like Izaya.**_

\- xxx-

Meanwhile

Celty was sure that building, and all the buildings in this city, would be the death of her. It felt like every single citizen in the city had gone to see the new building shown in the latest photo. That dojo. Izaya and Shizuo were acting weird and these days everyone had at least one problem with the yellow scarves, or rather, the new gang wearing yellow.

Even Erika had stopped fangirling over her fantasies and studied the photos like they were a piece of evidence. Well, everyone was sure she was looking for yaoi proof, as she'd called it, but lately she'd been examining the photos more closely.

_Like Celty had._

Something was seriously wrong with the latest photo. Since when had Izaya been allowed to touch Shizuo. Or, rather, why hadn't Shizuo tried to kill Izaya for it? Celty had also never seen Izaya look so curious before. Something was seriously wrong and what was going on in those photos gave her some insight into the present. Were the past events in the picture somehow connected to what was happening in the city now? Was that why this photo was uploaded or it was it just a new photo to add to the rumours?

Celty believed the first. The photo revealed something. Something important, but what? Now that Celty thought about it, she hadn't seen Izaya or Shizuo lately. Had… had they found out about the photos? _Was the_ _ **apocalypse**_ _finally coming?_

_Were aliens involved somehow?_

Celty shook herself out of her thoughts, pulling her bike away from the building and drove. Just drove, she didn't know where to, but she wanted to leave this place just as Shooter did. Shooter was happy to leave the building, at least, but Celty was still on alert.

She needed to figure out what was going on with the duo and the gang. The gang, especially. She needed to know what they did to her horse and what they wanted from her.

More and more yellow-clad people were walking around Ikebukuro these days and Celty sensed a really dark aura. Every single one of them spoke in another language and they only ever fought if they were provoked. They stayed in groups and stuck to a certain area. Why? Nobody knew and nobody could find out. They just let them. Like all their problems. _Like the duo_.

Shooter had stopped in an area that was unfamiliar to Celty but after some consideration, she figured out where she was. She was at the border of Shinjuku and Nakano. It was a road that Celty wasn't fond of but Shooter seemed to be. That was weird. She always took Shooter whenever she went. So why did Shooter know this area and Celty didn't? Well, that was an issue for another time.

She scrolled down the massive list of comments. After the latest picture had been confirmed as real, all of the comments contained the same question.

_What was it that allowed Izaya to control Shizuo's temper before he wrecked anything?_

Celty sighed. Another unanswered question. What was going on? Izaya never helped Shizuo and Shizuo never listened to Izaya. They did the exact opposite of those things. Izaya laughed while Shizuo rampaged. Their fights were daily, the same routine every day. They would always start fighting and then run off to eventually stop fighting somewhere else. Celty never knew how.

Celty stood up and, after telling Shooter where she was going, she started walking ahead. Yeah. How had she never asked Shizuo how all of their fights stopped? That's something that she never thought about before. But now, Celty wanted to know what stopped them. She also wanted to know what started these fights.

Not just the ones she witnessed every day but… how these fights began. Celty had started to blend into the crowd. No one gave her any attention and nobody commented on seeing the black rider. Well, now she was an old tale. The only thing anyone cared about anymore was the mystery surrounding the duo. But Celty was still shocked that nobody tried to talk to her or ask her anything. She thought that when faced with an urban legend, people tended to approach it and learn about it. _See it in action._ _ **Touch it**_ _._

Well, human's were really an interesting species. And still, Celty wanted to be like them! Celty started browsing windows, her hands inside her pockets as she continued walking. _Where to?_ She didn't know. She just wanted to be alone. **Alone.**

Something was eating at her. But what? The dark aura she felt? Was it the duo? Her horse? Or Shinra?

_**Shinra.** _

It was his birthday in a few days. That's why she was browsing. She needed to buy him something. But what? He had everything, according to him. Except Celty as his bride. Celty had blushed and punched Shinra into the other room for saying that. But he still said the same thing.

_'Ah Celty. My love! I don't need presents to celebrate my birthday. I need only you! Well, maybe if you were my bride, I would be happier but...'_

Celty stopped and watched the humans walking. Some walked ahead. ready to go to work. Others were probably running late. And some others were on some ladders, installing lights and new signs. Now that Celty thought about it,in two weeks time there would be a celebration held here. An annual celebration? She didn't remember if there were any celebrations here before. But seeing the humans working so enthusiastically, it must be really important. She had even heard some people talking about it. And look at that! It was in two weeks and everyone was really anticipating it.

Celty smiled and continued walking. She walked several meters before she stopped again. Now that she reminded herself, she hadn't seen Izaya or Shizuo around today. She'd seen Tom and Namie, meaning both of them were still working, but Celty hadn't seen the duo herself. Maybe Shinra had seen them?

Maybe. He saw many people lately and judging by their auras, she believed that many were those yellow-clad people. But although Celty had told Shinra not to accept them, she knew that they needed the money. Izaya hadn't given her any jobs lately and nobody else gave her any kind of work. Maybe in the hours that Celty was in Ikebukuro one of the duo would've gone to Shinra.

But Celty didn't believe herself either. Shinra would've told her if he'd seen anything. Still, their absence was really shocking. _The city was so quiet._

Not even the text she'd sent to Shizuo had helped. She'd asked him if he wanted to meet, to talk, at least to do something. But he hadn't replied. And the dark aura she felt didn't help at all.

Even now, she felt it. It was strong and it was nearby. Who even produced so much darkness? Was it Saika? Something else? She knew that humans couldn't produce such a dark aura, even if they wanted to. _But there was always an exception._

Celty looked down and kicked at some pebbles. She took out her PDA but there was nothing. Not one message. Not even from Shinra. **That's it.**

_Celty was bored._

She wished to at least see someone she knew in the crowd. Mikado, Anri, Erika, Tom, Shizuo. Hell, even Izaya would be something. She needed to escape this routine. Celty wanted to talk. Not even the chat was active. Everyone was elsewhere.

Celty started to head back towards where Shooter was, when she noticed something. Something bright. It wasn't the sun or anything that glowed in the sun's light. It was hair.

_Blond hair._

**Shizuo!**

Celty went to where she'd last seen him and searched.

...

There he was! Walking ahead. He had his hands shoved into his pockets and wasn't giving anyone a second glance. Yes, it was him!

Celty was relieved. She half-ran towards him and pulled out her PDA to type Shizuo's name with a 'finally' underneath it. Celty grabbed his arm and turned the man towards her and...

.

.

.

Celty stopped.

This… _wasn't_ _ **Shizuo**_ _._

He was so similar to Shizuo but it wasn't him. He was another person with blonde hair. Now that Celty looked at it, it was a little darker than Shizuo's. This person looked like Shizuo but his eyes were green, his hair was longer and he had a scar on his mouth but not very deep. He was wearing a suit, not bartender clothes and wore a tie instead of a bowtie.

He was smoking a cigarette, which slowly burned in his mouth, directly over the scar. Celty continued looking at him. The suit was normal and not expensive, he didn't have gloves on and he also wore a necklace. It was a small orange leaf that shone in the sun on the man's neck. Surely the first thing people would notice about the man was this.

The man looked _strong and calm_. He didn't wear any sunglasses and was looking directly at Celty. He was calm at first, curious and shocked but he also looked angry, frustrated and ready for an attack.

Celty shivered. He looked so much like Shizuo and he acted like him, too. The movement that the man took, snatching his arm really fast from Celty's grasp, didn't help her confusion. As soon as the man was a few steps away, just to have some distance between Celty and him, Celty took out her PDA and wrote really fast.

{Sorry! Wrong person!}

She turned away from the man and walked away from him. She was walking back to where she was before she noticed the man. When she found herself back where she'd previously stood, she turned and looked at where the man had been and found nothing. He must've walked away.

 _That was really strange_ , even for her. The way he moved, looked at her and just looked in general was surreal to Celty. It was like she'd met him before. It was like she saw a...

" _A_ _doppelganger_." Someone said.

Celty agreed 100% with that before jumping and looking at her side. She found the person that had spoken.

_Mika._

Mika was looking back at where the man had been with her hands behind her back. She didn't talk for a while, giving Celty the chance to ask.

{You're... alone?}

Mika read it and immediately frowned. She adjusted her hat on her head and said.

"Yes… unfortunately. My angel is away for today. No, somewhere else… he is with... his sister. That bitch. I'll murder her when I have the chance, believe me."

Mika continued talking, but Celty tapped again.

{His sister?}

"Ha! You're confused, aren't you? Everyone is today, just by looking at me. It must be a shock to see me alone."

When Celty nodded, Mika continued.

"Well… we sort of have a... truce. We'll share him. Until one of us finds a solution to this problem. But believe me, I'll be the one to find it and hahaha… let's just say that it won't be nice. Seiji is with that witch today. Tomorrow he is mine and so on... Jealousy, that's what did it."

{... _Jealousy?_ } Celty asked, clearly confused.

"Oh, yes. A few days ago, Seiji and I were walking around and we somehow ended up in one of the main squares. There we saw something. Or should I say, someone. We saw the witch and Izaya sitting on one of the benches and since Izaya has become a regular sight on the website lately, they were easy to spot. Izaya was talking and that bitch nodded, but I don't know why. Izaya's arm was behind the bitch and that was when it happened.

Seiji got... jealous. Because he saw his sister… as he said... ignoring him and not paying attention to him. At that, he left me to run towards her and grabbed her away for Izaya. The witch was surprised but happy and Izaya didn't give a fuck about the situation. He was smirking, like always. I believe he did it to make my Seiji mad, not the witch. Why? Well, he was smirking at Seiji and didn't interfere when he took his sister away from him.

Izaya was nodding and waving when the witch walked away from him. Like he had planned to do that. And I think he did it on purpose because he turned and smirked at me. He started looking through me, as if he knew I had a bug planted in his room. I think he planned it all so that he could get Namie out of his office and knew that I wouldn't be able to watch him later on, because I would be really busy. And I know that something must've happened, because when I finally checked on him, there was a huge hole in his wall."

Celty listened to Mika talk and even though she was shocked by the bug, she let it slide and asked her something else that bothered her.

{Mika. I know that I don't know Izaya well... But… if he knew that you had a bug in his apartment then why didn't he uninstall it?}

Mika read the PDA and then snorted.

"I haven't thought about that. Maybe he wants it for something. Maybe that appointment he had was a personal matter. No, it's Izaya we're talking about. Really that bothers me now too. Why? Well, he'd used a trick to get rid of Namie without much effort. But what was it that we missed?"

Mika stopped and thought, as did Celty. Then suddenly Mika spun around happily and sang.

"But let's forget that, shall we? We have more important mysteries to unfold right now. Who was that person you just encountered?"

Celty shrugged to say that she didn't know. _And indeed she didn't._

"Well, as I said he was like a clone. _**A doppelganger**_."

Celty pointed at Mika.

"Oh, hahaha. Yes, like me. That person looked like Shizuo-kun. The only thing that made him different, from what I remember, was that necklace. Have you seen that necklace before?"

Celty shook her head.

"Me neither. But that necklace is giving me bad vibes... Do you think he… transformed himself to look like Shizuo? You know... like what I did?"

Celty stopped, before she tapped anything in her PDA. She hadn't thought of that. Was he really a doppelganger? A clone? Had he transformed himself just to be with someone else? But who wanted to be with Shizuo that much, in order to make someone do that? Or was it his choice like Mika's? She confused herself as more and more questions popped into her mind.

**Was that true?**

Did he want to be like Shizuo or did he want to be with someone else?

{Maybe the latter… I don't really know myself. I hope that person we saw just happened to have the same appearance as Shizuo. I hope so...}

"You write words that don't fit your thoughts, meaning you are in doubt. Believe me Celty-chan, I am too. But please don't deny that our world is the most fucked one." Mika pointed out as she started walking and then stopped.

{I agree with you. This world is really fucked up. But not all people fit into this category.}

Mika smiled. "True. But all people have secrets. Me. Those two boys walking ahead. You."

{How you know that I keep secrets? Maybe I don't.}

"All people do."

{But I'm not a human to keep...}

"No. You are not. But you are behaving like one. And don't lie to yourself. Celty-chan. You do have secrets of your own. But you keep them close and hidden, knowing that when they are released, things will change."

Celty watched Mika.

{Why you are telling me this?}

"Oh… well, how our topic changes? Well, maybe because that image distracted me. Did you see the new photo?"

Celty nodded.

"Well… that's why. I believe those pictures are cursed. Dangerous. They show some things but they can reveal much more if there a push. There is a secret behind those photos that, when released, will not only cause chaos but… will close some wounds."

Celty examined Mika. Maybe she was right. Maybe there was a connection in those photos. But what?

Mika suddenly turned around.

"Do you feel something?" Mika asked and repeated the same motion.

Celty watched her but the feeling was mutual. She felt like she was being... watched. Like someone was waiting to strike. She looked around too but found no one looking in her direction.

"Anyway, that person you saw, did he leave after you left or did he stay there?"

Celty understood why Mika was asking that question. But Celty didn't feel like she was being watched from the direction the man had been. Rather from above. Either way, she looked back in the direction the man had been but found no one with blond hair.

She then tilted her helmet upwards and Mika followed the motion, but she turned faster than Celty. Mika smirked.

"Ho… so that's why I felt uneasy." She said and Celty followed her line of sight.

There, up on one of the rooftops, stood Izaya. He was looking down and his stance showed curiosity. One of his legs was hooked on the railing and his hands were in his pockets. Celty didn't know if he was smirking, but she knew that his eyes were focused on something.

Izaya moved his head around like he was searching for something. He searched and searched until finally his eyes caught something and stopped. Finally, Celty could see that Izaya hadn't been smirking but now he did. _Then he moved._

_**Or better yet, fell.** _

Izaya started to fall and that caught Celty off-guard. But before she could do anything, Izaya turned his body and grabbed onto one of the building's lamps, slowing his descent. He then jumped to land on a car in mid air andr used it as a base to jumped into and disappeared into the crowd.

Celty moved towards where she thought Izaya landed, only to find no one there. She realised she'd been running towards Izaya without realising. Well although he was an asshole, Celty did try to save him unconsciously.

That's why Shooter appeared in front of her. He must've felt Celty's discomfort and ran towards her. Shooter stopped and she patted it.

"Did you see where he went?" Celty jumped at Mika's voice but quickly tapped in her PDA

{No. Unfortunately. I lost sight of him.}

"Oh no. I wanted to see where he would go. Ah, nevermind I need to return to my love anyway. I just got a message from him! I need to go before that witch uses her magic and takes him from me. Goodbye, Celty-chan. And please consider what I said." Mika sang, waving as she ran away.

Celty waved back, now more nervous than before. Because Mika was right. Something was trying to be released, something sinister.

Unfortunately for her, Celty was connected with Shooter and what Shooter saw, Celty could see later. When Shooter decided that what he'd seen was important, he showed Celty when she touched him. And what he saw was not only significant, but it gave her even more unanswered questions.

He had seen Izaya landing, then walking towards someone and leaving with that person.

**And that person was the man that had looked like Shizuo.**

-xxx-

Kida sure was fast. And sure was getting on Akabayashi's nerves. He was constantly looking back and waiting for him to follow him. He wanted him to follow. That or he was trying to hide from him and hadn't succeeded.

Unfortunately for him, Akabayashi didn't quit so easily. Kida was still running and still had red eyes. He smirked but didn't fight back, he only ran. Ran and ran and ran. He didn't stop.

But Akabayashi was determined to catch him. He felt like something was off. He knew something was off. The fact that Kida had called Anri Saika instead of mother had to mean something. Who was Kida controlled by? Or rather, _what_ was it? Was it like Saika? Was it Saika but somehow completely different? A different species? Or maybe it was Saika trying to confuse Akabayashi.

Yet again, Anri hadn't felt another Saika possessing Kida. So, that's what kept Akabayashi from quitting. He needed to find out what he was. What he was hiding.

_And why he felt somehow excited?_

He continued running and, although Akabayashi could feel Kida's discomfort, he didn't use a maneuver to avoid or to lose Akabayashi. Something that made Akabayashi more and more suspicious.

Akabayashi was sure that they' made it to Ikebukuro. He'd been chasing that kid for so many hours that he'd lost count. But why here and not somewhere else? Akabayashi let that slide as he jumped onto the next roof and allowed himself to fall into the catwalk that led to the pavement. Kida was close and if Akabayashi had the strength he would easily catch him, but he was exhausted. He was sure that he'd fail in the end.

Yet Kida wasn't even breathing heavily. He was running just fine and his parkour skills were slowly improving. All those were really bad signs for Akabayashi. Kida turned and looked at him and after he frowned for the millionth time that day, he ran away.

_That frown was just like Izaya._

Everything reminded him of Izaya. Izaya must've done something. Akabayashi could sense that too. What had he managed to do?

_Was he another Saika host? Was that true?_

Or was the _exhaustion_ getting to Akabayashi head?

But he was sure that earlier Kida had been acting so much like Izaya that it confused Akabayashi. Was that a trick or true? But he hadn't felt Izaya's aura so dark before. Was he a victim, too? That's why he had that aura now? But if that were the case, shouldn't Kida's aura be the same?

Akabayashi was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice when Kida threw some barrels at him. At the last moment, Akabayashi managed to dodge them but he lost some ground between them. Meaning that Kida could hide and outrun him now.

**Damn.**

Kida turned around and entered an alley, which Akabayashi had gone into before. Which was lucky, he knew where that alley went. Akabayashi slowed and tried to catch his breath as he walked towards the nearest catwalk and used...

But before he could use it, he stopped. Akabayashi _felt something…_ _ **familiar**_ _._ A feeling that he had lost long ago. He backed away and turned his head. T _hat feeling was calling him_. And it was leading him into the alley that Kida had used.

Akabayashi shook his head and tried to focus again, using the catwalk as he heard the one he was chasing after.

"He's here."

So Kida was leading him somewhere. Or rather, to someone. Akabayashi brushed off his suit, caught his breath and used his cane to walk freely into alley. He was ready, after all that introduction, to meet the one that had caused him all this trouble.

Akabayashi walked inside and before he spoke, he stopped. He let his cane fall to the ground and started to back away in confusion.

_He wasn't ready for what he'd just seen._

_Because he was sure the thing in front of him wasn't real._ **Even if his gut was saying the opposite, his heart didn't believe it.**

**"...Sayaka?"**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger? We will see in the next one.
> 
> Who was that person that looked like Shizuo? Will Akabayashi be ok?
> 
> And since some of you asked Sayaka is Anri's mother. The original Saika user.
> 
> See in the next one!

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, guys, this is a future event. A prolog to be precise. So if you didn't understand what happened or why, well you will understand in the future chapters. As I said in the description something had appeared from the dark making the city explode from it.


End file.
